Ultrasound in the investigation of renal disease in infants and children.

The author reports the case histories of a number of neonates and children with renal disease to illustrate the use of grey-scale ultrasound in the investigation of such patients. In the series, ultrasound proved to be an excellent diagnostic tool in the investigation of masses of suspected renal origin, both in ascertaining their site of origin and in evaluating their nature. Other applications of diagnostic ultrasound included investigation of the kidney not visualised by urography, and suspected urinary tract obstruction, and renal or peri-renal infection. The characteristic ultrasound appearances of polycystic disease, multicystic kidney, renal tract obstruction, nephroblastoma and perinephric abscess are shown.