DMSA and Vesicoureteric Reflux Diagnosis and Significance in UTI in Children from Baruch Padeh Poriya Medical Center- Israel

Introduction: It is estimated that 31.1% of pediatric patients with UTI also suffer from Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Having both UTI and VUR simultaneously poses as a risk factor for developing pyelonephritis and renal scarring. Pyelonephritis may be detected using Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA)- a radionuclide scan to discover renal scarring, with minimal radiation. On the other hand, the gold standard for VUR diagnosis is voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG). Therefore, the objective of this research is to examine DMSA as a possible means to replace VCUG in VUR diagnosis.

Methods: a retrospective study of 88 children from birth to age 9 with symptoms fitting of UTI. These children were tested for VUR presence using VCUG and DMSA.

Results: 19 of the 88 patients did not undergo DMSA. Out of the 69 pediatric patients who were tested, 39 did not have reflux while 30 had VUR. Among the 39 children without reflux, 69.2% had typical DMSA results, while 30.8% had abnormal DMSA results, meaning almost 70% of DMSA findings were compatible with the diagnosis among the children without reflux. Among the 30 remaining patients- 12 were diagnosed with VUR grade I-II and 18 were diagnosed with VUR grade III-V, according to VCUG results. 66.7% of the patients with VUR grade I-II had abnormal DSMA results, while a remarkable figure of 88.9% of children with VUR grade III-V had abnormal DSMA results.

Conclusion: DMSA may be used as a useful tool for VUR diagnosis, replacing VCUG.