Imaging strategies for vesicoureteral reflux diagnosis

The prevalence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), although reported to be low in the general population, is high in children with urinary tract infection (UTI), first degree relatives of patients with known VUR and children with antenatal hydronephrosis. In addition, it has been shown that VUR and UTIs are associated with renal scarring, predisposing to serious long-term complications, i.e., hypertension, chronic renal insufficiency and complications of pregnancy. Therefore, diagnostic imaging for the detection of VUR in the high-risk groups of children has been a standard practice. However, none of these associations has been validated with controlled studies, and recently the value of identifying VUR after a symptomatic UTI has been questioned. In addition, several studies have shown that renal damage may occur in the absence of VUR. On the other hand, some patients, mainly males, may have primary renal damage, associated with high-grade VUR, without UTI. Recently, increasing skepticism has been noted concerning how and for whom it is important to investigate for VUR. It has been suggested that the absence of renal lesions after the first UTI in children may rule out VUR of clinical significance and reinforces the redundancy of invasive diagnostic techniques. Therefore, the priority of imaging strategies should focus on early identification of renal lesions to prevent further deterioration.