The role of non-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance urography in urinary tract imaging of pediatric patients
Ibrahim Barışcan Soydan1
, Inan Kokmaz1, Mehmet Emin Çelikkaya2
1Department of Radiology, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Faculty of Medicine, Hatay, Türkiye
2Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Faculty of Medicine, Hatay, Türkiye
Keywords: Ectopic ureter, hydroureteronephrosis, non-contrast-enhanced MRU, pediatric MR urography, urinary tract anomalies.
Abstract
Objectives: This study aim to evaluate the indications, anatomical information, and diagnostic contribution of non-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance urography (MRU) in pediatric patients.
Patients and methods: Thirty-three pediatric patients (17 males, 16 females; mean age: 10.6 ± 4.9 years; range, 5 to 17 years) who underwent non-contrast-enhanced MRU between January 2013 and December 2024 were retrospectively reviewed. All examinations were performed using heavily T2-weighted sequences that did not require sedation, and MRU findings were compared with concurrent ultrasonography results.
Results: Non-contrast-enhanced MRU provided excellent anatomical resolution, particularly in structural anomalies such as hydroureteronephrosis, ureteropelvic junction and ureterovesical junction stenoses, and duplicated collecting systems. However, non-contrast-enhanced MRU did not offer direct functional assessment of the kidneys.
Conclusion: Non-contrast-enhanced MRU is a safe, reproducible, and radiation-free imaging technique for detailed evaluation of the pediatric urinary tract anatomy. It serves as a valuable second-line diagnostic modality in cases where ultrasonography yields inconclusive or limited findings.
Citation:
Soydan IB, Kokmaz I, Çelikkaya ME. The role of non-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance urography in urinary tract imaging of pediatric patients. Turkish J Ped Surg 2026;40(1):16-22. https://doi.org/10.62114/JTAPS.2026.202.