Diagnostic imaging of the kidney and the urinary tract in infancy

Imaging flow charts differ in pediatric and general radiology. The reasons are: different illnesses, different consequences arising out of imaging res ults and different sequence of imaging methods. Ultrasound is always the fi rst imaging method of the urinary tract in infancy and childhood starts wit h ultrasound with the exception of severe abdominal trauma which is investi gated by computer-tomography. The decision "normal or abnormal" is possible using ultrasound in the most pediatric cases. The diagnostic value and sig nificance of ultrasound in infancy and childhood is far better than in gene ral radiology because of the higher resolution of the high-frequency units taken. The result of the ultrasound examination should be the basis for the following imaging procedures. We will describe diagnostic flow charts star ting with three important clinical symptoms: Prenatal pathology, urinary tr act obstruction and urinary tract infection.