A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Role of Ultrasonography for the Diagnosis of Vesicoureteral Reflux in Pediatric Patients Following Urinary Tract Infections: Technical Report.
PediatricsOct 1, 2026
Muayad Azzam, Ali Choaib, Jamil Nazzal et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of renal and bladder ultrasonography (RBUS) for detecting vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in pediatric patients post-urinary tract infection (UTI). The analysis included 90 studies, revealing a pooled sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 71% for first UTIs, indicating low-to-moderate certainty in RBUS's accuracy for VUR detection.
Key findings
- Pooled sensitivity for RBUS in first UTI cases was 50% (95% CI, 42% to 58%).
- Pooled specificity for RBUS in first UTI cases was 71% (95% CI, 62% to 78%).
- Sensitivity for detecting high-grade VUR (III-V) was 66% (95% CI, 60% to 72%).
- Sensitivity for recurrent UTI cases was only 26% (95% CI, 23% to 28%).
Why it matters
Understanding the limitations of RBUS in diagnosing VUR is crucial for clinicians managing pediatric UTIs, as reliance on this method may lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate management strategies.