These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Harmonic voiding urosonography with a second-generation contrast agent for the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux.
    Author: Papadopoulou F, Anthopoulou A, Siomou E, Efremidis S, Tsamboulas C, Darge K.
    Journal: Pediatr Radiol; 2009 Mar; 39(3):239-44. PubMed ID: 19096835.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Voiding urosonography with harmonic imaging (VUS HI) has been introduced as a sensitive and radiation-free imaging method for the diagnosis and follow-up of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of VUS HI using a second-generation US contrast agent compared to standard voiding cystourethrography (VCUG). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 228 children with 463 kidney-ureter units (KUUs) underwent two cycles of VUS HI and two cycles of VCUG at the same session. VUS HI was performed after intravesical administration of 1 ml of a second-generation US contrast agent (sulphur-hexafluoride gas microbubbles, SonoVue, Bracco, Italy). For statistical analysis we used McNemar's test, Student's t-test and k coefficient tests. RESULTS: VUR was shown in 161/463 (34.7%) KUUs, 57 by both methods, 90 only by VUS, and 14 only by VCUG. Concordance in findings regarding the presence or absence of VUR was found in 359/463 (77.5%) KUUs (k=0.40). The difference in the detection rate of reflux between the two methods was significant (P<0.01). More importantly, reflux missed by VCUG was of higher grade (2 grade I, 65 grade II, 19 grade III, 4 grade IV) than that missed by VUS (8 grade I, 5 grade II, 1 grade III). CONCLUSION: VUS HI and a second-generation contrast agent improved the identification of reflux in children. Our data reveal a higher sensitivity of the method compared to VCUG. Thus it can be used as an alternative radiation-free imaging method.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]