Is ultrasound evaluation of kidney length in children possible? results from a prospective study in madagascan children less than one year of age

Renal US was prospectively performed in 124 madagascan children less than 1 year of age. Patients were examined in the prone position and maximum kidn ey length was measured in the longitudinal plane. These measurements and th e height and weight of our patient population were compared to published ta bles. Kidney length and height and weight of our patient population were in ferior to the previously published reference data and the growth curve of k idneys steeper than normative standards (p < 0,001). Because of the importa nt variability in US measurement of kidney length it is not possible to def initely conclude that length and growth curve of kidneys in madagascan chil dren are statistically different from those of the published normative stan dards.