Urography in children: when should it be done? 2. Conditions other than infection.

Abstract

Conditions that are often associated with an increased incidence of renal anomalies include imperforate anus, congenital vertebral abnormalities, and Fanconi anemia; excretory urography should be done if such a condition is present. Urography is also useful to provide baseline data in conditions associated with later development of urinary problems, such as myelodysplasia, prune-belly syndrome, and exstrophy of the bladder. In addition, urography serves as a periodic check for complications of treatment (hydronephrosis, obstruction) in patients with urinary diversion. Certain signs, eg, dribbling, hematuria after mild trauma, unexplained pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum in a neonate, and neonatal abdominal mass, call for immediate urography. In many conditions that were formerly thought to be associated with major urinary abnormalities, urography is not called for. Such is the case in hypospadias, deformities of the external ear alone, and undescended testes. Dehydration is the only absolute contraindication to urography.