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Assessment of lower urinary tract function in pediatrics using ultrasonography

  • Special Feature: Review Article
  • Recent development of diagnostics and therapeutics ultrasound for urological disease
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Abstract

Ultrasound imaging is a less invasive imaging modality without radiation exposure and is available for repeated tests. It is the gold standard examination for diagnosing and managing disorders of the urinary tract, including lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) in pediatric urology. Ultrasound imaging is effective for screening underlying diseases and determining treatment strategies. Ultrasound examination at the bedside should focus on post-voided residual urine (PVR), bladder wall thickening, renal morphology, and rectal diameter. Since PVR must be tested immediately after voiding, examining infants who cannot complain of the urge to void is difficult. PVR measurement combined with a 4-h voiding observation or alarm system activated by urine is recommended for these infants. Early diagnosis is important because LUTD is associated with the risk of morbid residual urine and high voiding pressure, which can result in renal deterioration, urinary leakage, and febrile urinary tract infection.

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No funding was secured for this study. All authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article.

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Correspondence to Jun Ajiki.

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All authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 and later versions. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for inclusion in the study.

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Ajiki, J., Naitoh, Y., Kanazawa, M. et al. Assessment of lower urinary tract function in pediatrics using ultrasonography. J Med Ultrasonics (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-023-01358-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-023-01358-z

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