Medical treatment of renal and perirenal abscesses: CT evaluation

AIM: A retrospective study of bur experience of CT evaluation and follow-up of 16 solitary and multiple renal abscesses treated successfully viith ant ibiotics alone and evaluated with CT at the onset of symptoms and after the rapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients had a solitary renal abscess, five ha d multiple renal abscesses and four had renal and perinephric abscess. None of the abscesses were larger than 5 cm. RESULTS: In all 16 patients, the CT examination showed total renal and extr arenal regression of the abscesses. In four patients, scarring of the renal outline was observed on follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates the opportunity to avoid aggressive int erventional or surgical treatment of renal and perirenal abscesses of 5-cm diameter or less which can completely regress after antibiotic therapy of a t least 4 weeks. The CT examination results are important both in the diagn ostic phase to establish the extent of the lesions and in the follow-up to check the results of medical treatment. (C) 1999 The Royal College of Radio logists.