CORRELATION BETWEEN PRENATAL ULTRASOUND A ND POSTNATAL IMAGING IN CHILDREN WITH UNILATERAL HYDRONEPHROSIS

The management of prenatal hydronephrosis is still debated, due to a l arge number of transitory pyelic dilatations. We describe the relation ship between prenatal ultrasound findings and neonatal imaging studies (dynamic 99-Tc DTPA scanning and micturating cystouretrography) in 54 children with monolateral hydronephrosis. Eleven children demonstrate d a vesico-ureteral reflux, 12 a pyelic dilatation without obstruction , 14 a uretero-pelvic junction obstruction and 17 a non refluixing meg aureter. In the group of 14 kidneys with prenatal mild hydronephrosis (antero-posterior pelvic diameter < 15 mm) there were no uretero-pelvi c junction obstructions and only 1 nonrefluxing megaureter, whereas 6 vesico-ureteral refluxes and 7 nonobstructive hydronephrosis were obse rved. Preliminary data regarding the follow-up of these children seems to indicate a good prognosis in those subjects with mild hydronephros is prenatally detected, except in those cases with vesico-ureteral ref lux. Therefore these data allow us to conclude that a less invasive di agnostic approach should be considered in children with monolateral mi ld hydronephrosis detected.