Acute Pyelonephritis Today

Abstract

Acute urinary infections often involve the low tract, but in a good part of cases they run up to the kidney, becoming an important prob- lem potentially cause of further complications. However, in these cases imaging target is not to diagnose a pyelonephritis, since clinic data are sufficient in non-complicated forms, but rather to evaluate the extension of the parenchymal damage and possible complica- tions as abscesses. Urinary tract infections can be distinguished in APN, renal and perirenal abscesses, pyonephrosis, emphysematous pyelonephritis and emphysematous cystitis. Those infections are very diffuse and often cause patients hospitalization. In the current review it will be illustrated the most useful imaging techniques to recognize and evaluate pyelonephritis in the most effective way comparing sen- sitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the various techniques available to the radiologist.