Resistive indices in the evaluation of infants with obstructive and nonobstructive pyelocaliectasis

• Published in: Journal of ultrasound in medicine Vol. 18; no. 5; pp. 357 - 361
• Main Authors: Vade, A, Dudiak, C, McCarthy, P, Hatch, D. A, Subbaiah, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Laurel, MD Am inst Ulrrasound Med 01.05.1999; American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical engineering; Computer aided diagnosis; Computerized tomography; Dilatation, Pathologic; Humans; Hydronephrosis - diagnostic imaging; Infant; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Kidney Calculi - diagnostic imaging; Kidney Calculi - pathology; Kidney Pelvis - diagnostic imaging; Kidney Pelvis - pathology; Medical sciences; Patient monitoring; Predictive Value of Tests; Prospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Ultrasonic investigative techniques; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed; Urinary system; Urology; Waveform analysis; Sonography; Human; Kidney disease; Doppler ultrasound study; Urinary system disease; Dilatation; Pyelocalyceal; Urinary tract disease; Child; Obstruction; Differential diagnostic
• ISSN: 0278-4297; 1550-9613
• DOI: 10.7863/jum.1999.18.5.357

Diagnosing obstructive uropathy by renal resistive indices calculated from duplex Doppler sonographic waveforms has been supported as well as challenged in the radiology literature relating to adults. Despite reports of normally higher resistive indices in children as compared to adults, two studies have documented high sensitivity and specificity of renal Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of obstructive uropathy in children, using the same discriminatory criterion of a resistive index of 0.7 or greater as used in adults. We evaluated 43 infants with significant or bilateral pyelocaliectasis secondary to both obstructive and unobstructive uropathy and found no significant difference in the mean resistive indices or the mean difference in resistive indices of two kidneys in one patient. We conclude that Doppler sonography in infants has no value in differentiating obstructive from nonobstructive pyelocaliectasis.