Unilateral Hydronephrosis in Infants: Are Measurements of Contralateral Renal Length Useful?

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Abstract
We investigated whether measurement of contralateral renal length in newborns with unilateral hydronephrosis may help to assess clinically significant hydronephrosis in the affected kidney. We reviewed our experience with 53 newborns who had unilateral hydronephrosis presumed secondary to ureteropelvic junction obstruction. We divided the patients according to the presence of mild hydronephrosis and no obstruction on a furosemide renogram, severe hydronephrosis and obstruction on a furosemide renogram or a unilateral multicystic kidney. We found no significant correlation between findings on the affected and opposite normal sides. Contralateral hypertrophy, hypotrophy and normal sized kidneys were frequent findings. We conclude that measurement of contralateral renal length is not helpful in the evaluation of newborns with unilateral hydronephrosis.