Ultrasonography of the kidneys and bladder( ultrasound) - Causes, symptoms and treatment. MF.

Ultrasonography of the kidneys and bladder is a modern research method based on the imaging of pelvic organs with the help of ultrasound rays, which originate from a special sensor and are also perceived. Thanks to this procedure, you can not only see the organ located deep in the tissues of a person, but also find changes in its structure.

Indications for ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder

Since this method of research is very simple and cheap to use, the number of indications for ultrasound is very wide. It can even be called, in some way, a screening method, since it is used for the primary diagnosis of various diseases of the kidneys and bladder.

The first group of indications for ultrasound are congenital abnormalities of the urinary system. The ultrasound is performed if there is a suspicion that the patient has polycystosis, megacalix, horseshoe kidney, aplasia or a dystopia of this organ.

The second group of pathologies, which demonstrate the performance of ultrasound examination of the kidneys and bladder, are all possible inflammatory diseases of these organs. These include cystitis, pyelinephritis, glomerulonephritis and tubulointerstitial nephritis. Despite the fact that in cases of bladder diseases, ultrasound is not as informative as in kidney pathology, it is considered mandatory in terms of differential diagnosis with other diseases.

Traumatic damage to the bladder or kidney can easily be diagnosed by ultrasound, so under similar conditions, ultrasound is absolutely indicated.

It is impossible to underestimate the importance of ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder in the oncological pathology of these organs. With the help of ultrasound, you can clearly define not only the size, but also the position of the pathological neoplasm, therefore in oncourology this method is not that recommended, but mandatory.

Contraindications to ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder

Ultrasonography of the kidneys and bladder has become so widespread, in part, due to the minimum number of contraindications. That is why it is a method of choice not only in adults, but also in children.

Despite the complete absence of absolute contraindications, one can distinguish one relative. Ultrasound examination of the kidneys and bladder is not recommended for local inflammatory reactions and dermatitis of the skin of the stomach and lumbar region. As you know, during the ultrasound for better image transfer a special gel is used, which is applied to the skin of that part of the body that is being examined. If there is inflammation in the area, applying even an indifferent gel can provoke a second wave of inflammation.

In addition, there are rare cases of allergic reaction to the application of the same special gel for the study. As a rule, they have an easy current and do not lead to serious consequences. But if there is one time pathological reaction to the gel, the next procedure is better to use another substance.

Preparation for ultrasound of the kidney and bladder ultrasound

Preparation for the procedure begins approximately two hours before the procedure. Since for a qualitative research it is necessary that the bladder is filled, before the ultrasound the patient should use about a liter of liquid. In doing so, it must be remembered that only non-carbonated water can be drunk, since carbonated water can lead to excessive swelling of the intestine, which will interfere with the normal conduct of ultrasound.

Since the study area is the lower half of the abdomen and waist, the ideal clothing for going to the ultrasound room is a regular hospital gown that is easily removed and just as easily dressed. If the procedure is carried out on an outpatient basis, then it is better for women to wear a light dress, and for men - a sports suit.

As already mentioned, the procedure uses a special gel that is applied to the skin of a person. Naturally, if the procedure is carried out in a private room, then the patient will be provided with disposable towels. A completely different picture can be found when going to a municipal hospital for ultrasound examination of the kidneys and bladder. Therefore, in such a situation, you better stock up a towel or just buy regular dry napkins, so as not to stain your clothes and do not feel uncomfortable when you go home.

Kidney and bladder ultrasound in the eyes of the patient

This study is one of the most beloved not only from doctors, but also from patients. The reason for this can be called the absence of any pain sensations when performing ultrasound.

At the very beginning of the procedure, when a gel is applied to the human skin, the patient may experience unpleasant sensations associated with a low temperature of the indifferent substance. In this case, after a few minutes this feeling completely disappears and the patient can even enjoy the conduct of such a study.

Methods of ultrasound of

kidney It should be remembered that the duration of the procedure depends on the clinical condition of the patient, the competence of the doctor, the model of the apparatus and the rules of the medical institution in which the study is being conducted. Therefore, before going to the procedure, you need to prepare for the fact that, perhaps, lying on the couch will have to spend more than half an hour. In this case, in no case can not rush the doctor, which can affect the results of the study because of hasty diagnosis.

Doctor's actions with ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder

Applying an indifferent gel to the surface of the human body, the doctor puts the sensor to the skin. At the same time, an image appears on the screen of the device, which corresponds to the anatomy of the human internal organs. The doctor, focusing on a normal anatomical picture, determines the pathology of this or that organ.

ultrasound can be considered a very effective method of diagnosis only in relation to the kidneys, since the device clearly fixes the thickness of the parenchyma of the organ, as well as the volume of the cup-and-pelvis system.

Ultrasonography of the kidney

As for the ultrasound examination of the bladder, it is possible to determine only the indirect signs of the disease. For example, when cystitis is visualized thickening of the wall of the bladder, in particular, its mucosa. More clearly you can determine the concrement or the body in the cavity of the bladder.

Ultrasonography of the bladder

It should be remembered that the results of ultrasound of the kidneys and bladder are only a medical conclusion, but not a clinical diagnosis. Thus, if you notice a clearly formulated medical diagnosis in your research results, you can safely make a remark to the specialist who conducted the procedure. Only the urologist can make a diagnosis, being guided by the data of this study itself.

Anomalies of kidney and ureteral development are most often detected;signs of inflammatory diseases( acute and chronic pyelonephritis, purulent kidney damage).With urolithiasis, ultrasonic diagnostics are highly effective both in the detection of concrements( stones of any chemical composition are visualized, while for stones used for retgenology, stones consisting of uric acid remain invisible);and complications of urolithiasis - the expansion of the urinary tract, their obstruction, the level of localization of the calculus.

Duration of the procedure and the length of stay in the hospital

As already mentioned, the duration of the procedure is affected not only by the clinical condition of the patient, but also by technical equipment, as well as the qualification of the doctor. In general, ultrasound of the bladder and kidney takes 10 to 40 minutes.

Staying in a hospital before and after the procedure is not required at all. Conversely, a greater number of ultrasound examinations of the kidneys and bladder is performed precisely on an outpatient basis. Naturally, there are clinical situations when this study is performed by a patient who is in a hospital, but then the timing of hospitalization is determined not by the study itself, but by the patient's underlying illness.

Possible complications with ultrasound

At the dawn of the introduction of ultrasonic methods into medical practice, many specialists feared that ultrasonic waves passing through the tissues of the human body would have a negative impact on the latter. As the thirty-year experience of this procedure showed, such an effect is not observed even after long procedures in children, therefore, today this theory has completely lost its relevance.

The only clinically important complication during this procedure can be local skin irritation or even an allergic reaction to a special indifferent gel, which is used for better performance of the ultrasound probe. As practice shows, such complication does not need special treatment, just before the next procedure, another indifferent substance is used.

Rev.the doctor the urologist, the sexologist-andrologist Plotnikov А.N.