Are urinary system ultrasonography reports reliable?
M Hüseyinov*, Ş Emre*, R Özcan*, İ Adaletli**, H Emir*
*Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Department of Pediatric Surgery Division of Pediatric Urology
**Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Radiology
Objective: Evaluation of reliability of urinary system
ultrasonography reports in patients under one year of age with ureteropelvic
junction obstruction (UPJO). Patients and Method: Medical records of the patients under one year of age
with UPJO who admitted to our clinic between 2005 and 2016 were retrospectively
analyzed. Urinary tract ultrasound reports and ultrasonographic images were
compared. Plane in which renal pelvis anterior-posterior diameter (RAPD),
defined as posterior-anterior diameter at the renal hilum in transverse
section, and method of measurement were evaluated. Five hundred and fifty
ultrasound examinations of total 110 patients (5 US/patient) were analyzed. In order to maintain homogeneity
during evaluation of the US images, ultrasound exams performed at the same age
(as month) were taken into account. Findings: It was found that measurements done in a different
area were reported as RAPD in 157 (28%) of 550 US exams. Among these, measurements done
at the renal hilum, but out of transverse section, in craniocaudal plane or
measurements obtained from the largest section were reported as RAPD. Rate of
false RAPD reporting from different area went up as the degree of
hydronephrosis increased. This rate was
found to be 16% in patients whose true RAPDs were up to 15mm, and 33% in those
between 15-40mm, and 50% in those above 40mm. Conclusion: There are significant differences in
measurement areas of the values given as RPAD in kidney ultrasonography
reports. This issue should be taken into consideration during assessment and
follow up of the patient. Evaluation of urinary system ultrasonography reports
along with the US images, preparing the US order forms and marking the
measurements demanded and their areas in these forms could decrease such
inconsistencies.
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