Should renal ultrasound be performed in the patient with microscopic hematuria and a normal excretory urogram?

Abstract

We determine what additional information would be detected by renal ultrasonography that was not identified by a normal excretory urogram (IVP) performed for the evaluation of microscopic hematuria. A retrospective review was done of 101 patients with microscopic hematuria and a normal IVP who underwent renal ultrasonography. Of the 101 patients with microscopic hematuria and a normal IVP, renal ultrasonography was abnormal in 20%. All findings were ultimately proved to be of no clinical significance, although 6 of 21 patients required a total of 10 additional studies, including 9 computerized tomography scans and 1 renal arteriogram. These data demonstrate that renal ultrasonography is unnecessary in a patient with microscopic hematuria and a normal IVP.