Paediatric ultrasound renal charts in Australia: A clinical audit.

Abstract

Introduction: Determination of renal size and correlation with reference charts are key components of all paediatric renal ultrasound examinations. Reduced size can indicate renal dysplasia or chronic scarring. Acute pyelonephritis, hydronephrosis and duplex kidneys can cause enlargement. Serial measurements are also important in the assessment of normal growth over time. Despite the importance of reference charts, those available for use in an Australian context are limited. The aim of this study was to compare paediatric renal length measurements in a low-risk cohort from a large multi-centre tertiary service with the limited local and international charts available. Method(s): One thousand paediatric ultrasound examinations (0-17 years), low risk for renal disease, were identified retrospectively. Kidneys were excluded if there was no measurement or if the patient had abnormal renal function/urine micro-culture. Nine hundred forty-seven (right, 485; left, 462) renal measurements were available for assessment. Nomograms were determined by linear regression. Ninety-five percent prediction intervals were calculated. Paired t-tests and Pearson correlation compared left/right and male/female differences. Result(s): Variation between the audit data and the established charts was identified. No statistically significant differences in mean renal lengths were observed between men and women or for left and right kidneys. Conclusion(s): This clinical audit provides an alternative Australian renal length chart. Take home message: Renal size can be evaluated using length and volume and with a single- or multi-variable approach. Understanding the limitations of each chart and methodology is important.