ACUTE URINARY-TRACT OBSTRUCTION - IMAGING UPDATE

This article reviews current imaging techniques for diagnosis of acute urinary tract obstruction. It is designed to familiarize the urologis t with newly reported imaging tools in ultrasound and noncontrast CT t hat are gaining greater acceptance and becoming more readily available as the initial imaging modality in acute obstruction. Although intrav enous urography long has been the accepted standard, ultrasound has as sumed a more prominent role with the emergence of Doppler interrogatio n to assess renal blood flow and the use of color Doppler to detect ur ine flow into the bladder. CT is effective and efficient in the initia l evaluation of flank pain.