Non-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging versus renal scintigraphy in acute pyelonephritis.

The utility of non-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has not been examined extensively for diagnosing acute pyelonephritis (APN) in children. The aims of this study were to compare non-enhanced MRI with technetium-99 m dimercaptosuccinic acid (99m Tc-DMSA) renal scintigraphy in detecting APN. Six boys and one girl with temperature ≥38°C and positive urine culture received both non-enhanced MRI with whole body diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and 99m Tc-DMSA scintigraphy ≤7 days from the fever onset. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI in detecting APN lesions diagnosed on 99m Tc-DMSA scintigraphy were 80% and 100%, respectively. Non-enhanced MRI in children with suspected APN ≤7 days from fever onset might be a suitable replacement for 99m Tc-DMSA scintigraphy for the detection of APN.