The development of echo-enhancing agents has significantly improved the detection of the movement of fluid within the urinary tract by ultrasonography (US). The purpose of our study was to compare ultrasound voiding cystography (USVC) for the detection of vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) in children with direct radionuclide voiding cystography (DRVC). Ninety-nine children, aged 1.1-12.3 years, with 198 potentially refluxing units, were investigated simultaneously by DRVC and USVC. The indications for cystography were urinary tract infection, follow-up of a previously detected VUR, and screening of siblings of children with VUR. During the investigation an echo-enhancing agent (Levovist) was administered intravesically through a catheter already in place for the DRVC. The movement of both agents, radiotracer and Levovist, was registered simultaneously by a computerized gamma camera and US, respectively. The results were analyzed with DRVC representing the reference diagnostic test. The overall sensitivity and specificity of USVC for the detection of VUR were 79% and 92%, respectively. USVC may represent a reliable diagnostic tool for the detection and follow-up of VUR in children.

Three methods are currently used to identify vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children, namely X-ray voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), radionuclide voiding cystography (RVC), and, recently, echo-enhanced voiding urosonography (VUS). It is known that the sensitivity of VCUG and RVC for detecting VUR can be improved by using cyclic procedures, such as repeated bladder filling and voiding. The purpose of our prospective study was to evaluate whether the cyclic procedure is superior to the conventional (one cycle only) procedure in VUS also. VUS was performed in 49 patients, aged 1.4-15.8 years (mean 4.1 years). After the first micturition, the catheter was left in place and the whole procedure was repeated under the same conditions. The results of the first and second cycles and the combined procedure were compared. In the initial cycle, 7 of 35 (20%) refluxing renal units that were detected in the second cycle and 4 of 26 (15%) children with at least unilateral VUR were missed. Cyclic VUS detected 25% more VURs than the conventional (one cycle only) VUS ( P=0.049) and revealed 50% more VUR III than the first cycle. Our results suggest that cyclic VUS is superior to conventional VUS.

Real‐time ultrasound‐guided renal biopsy (RB) with a biopsy gun has become a standard procedure in the treatment of children. The purpose of the study was to establish the complication rate after real‐time ultrasound‐guided RB with a biopsy gun, the adequacy of renal tissue samples for pathohistological tests, the rate of concurrence between clinical and pathohistological diagnoses, and the benefits of the procedure. From January 1994 to October 1999, 88 renal biopsies were performed on 82 children, 81 of whom (35M, 46F, aged 3‐20 y) were included in this retrospective study. The nephrotic syndrome (in infants, older children, those with evidence of nephritis or failing corticosteroid therapy) was the most frequent indication of RB. Other indications were non‐nephrotic proteinuria, nephritic syndrome, glomerular haematuria, renal allograft dysfunction, unexplained acute or chronic renal failure, and kidney disease progression monitoring. No serious complications were noted. The adequacy rate of renal tissue samples ranged from 93.1 to 96.6%, depending on which definition of the adequacy of renal tissue samples was used. Clinical and pathohistological diagnoses matched in 81.4% of the cases. Data obtained by RB were very beneficial to patients in terms of establishing, confirming or altering the diagnosis and, consequently, the treatment. Conclusion: The results confirm that real‐time ultrasound‐guided RB with a biopsy gun is a safe procedure and provides information that is very beneficial to patients.

Cyclic VUS did not improve the detection sensitivity for VUR in our study. However, given that VUR grade may be important for the management of renal transplant recipients, the use of cyclic VUS may provide a useful diagnostic tool for these patients.

The purpose of our prospective study was to determine the value of indirect voiding urosonography without the use of contrast-media and without filling of the bladder through a catheter (IVUS) for detection of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children, compared with echo-enhanced voiding urosonography (VUS). Among 57 children (45 girls and 12 boys, aged 2.7 to 12.0 years) admitted for echo-enhanced VUS either as part of routine evaluation after urinary tract infection (UTI) or follow-up of a previously detected VUR, IVUS was also successfully performed in 47 children. The results were considered positive when there was any increase in pelvis size and/or ureter lumen width during voiding. The overall sensitivity of IVUS in the detection of VUR was 49%, specificity 75%. The most accurate results were obtained with VUR grade III, where IVUS correctly detected 6 out of 7 cases, a sensitivity of 86%. The average increase of AP pelvis diameter during voiding was highly significant only in uretero-renal units with VUR grade III. Considering the obstacles in conducting the investigation and its relatively low overall sensitivity and specificity, it seems that IVUS is not sufficiently reliable to replace echo-enhanced VUS.