Imaging of Acute Pyelonephritis in the Adult

Overview

Journal Eur Radiol

Specialty Radiology

Date 2006 Aug 29

PMID 16937102

Citations 31

Authors

H Stunell

O Buckley

J Feeney

T Geoghegan

R F J Browne

W C Torreggiani

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis in adults is predominantly made by a combination of typical clinical features of flank pain, high temperature and dysuria combined with urinalysis findings of bacteruria and pyuria. Imaging is generally reserved for patients who have atypical presenting features or in those who fail to respond to conventional therapy. In addition, early imaging may be useful in diabetics or immunocompromised patients. In such patients, imaging may not only aid in making the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis, but more importantly, it may help identify complications such as abscess formation. In this pictorial review, we discuss the role of modern imaging in acute pyelonephritis and its complications. We discuss the growing role of cross-sectional imaging with computed tomography (CT) and novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques that may be used to demonstrate both typical as well as unusual manifestations of acute pyelonephritis and its complications. In addition, conditions such as emphysematous and fungal pyelonephritis are discussed.

Citing Articles

Ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound and pyelonephritis: A narrative review.

Boccatonda A, Stupia R, Serra C World J Nephrol. 2024; 13(3):98300.

PMID: 39351183 PMC: 11439092. DOI: 10.5527/wjn.v13.i3.98300.

Acute Bilateral Pyelonephritis in the Setting of Newly Diagnosed Diabetes Mellitus: A Case Report.

Contreras J, Singh S, Alwarappan R HCA Healthc J Med. 2024; 5(2):151-155.

PMID: 38984217 PMC: 11229605. DOI: 10.36518/2689-0216.1626.

Added value of non-contrast CT for the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis in older patients with suspected infection with an unknown focus: a retrospective diagnostic study.

Takada T, Yano T, Fujiishi R, Fujii K, Honjo H, Miyajima M BMJ Open. 2024; 14(1):e076678.

PMID: 38171629 PMC: 10773348. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-076678.

Incidence of renal scarring on technetium-99 m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scintigraphy after acute pyelonephritis, acute focal bacterial nephritis, and renal abscess.

Hosokawa T, Uchiyama M, Tanami Y, Sato Y, Wakabayashi Y, Oguma E Ann Nucl Med. 2022; 37(3):176-188.

PMID: 36539646 DOI: 10.1007/s12149-022-01814-9.

An update on pyelonephritis: role of contrast enhancement ultrasound (CEUS).

Rinaldo C, Grimaldi D, Di Serafino M, Iacobellis F, Verde F, Caruso M J Ultrasound. 2022; 26(2):333-342.

PMID: 36385692 PMC: 10247636. DOI: 10.1007/s40477-022-00733-9.

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