Katarina Meštrović Popovič
Otroški oddelek, Splošna bolnišnica Celje, Celje, Slovenija

Tanja Kersnik Levart
Klinični oddelek za nefrologijo, Pediatrična klinika, Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenija

Abstract

Urinary tract dilatation (UTD) is one of the most common findings on antenatal ultrasound. Although congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract are often asymptomatic, their detection and optimal follow-up prenatally and postnatally are of great clinical importance, as they are one of the most common causes of end-stage renal disease in children. Other terms used in the past to describe UTD are now abandoned. Until now, different definitions of prenatal and postnatal UTD grade, which were not unified among different professional associations, led to different clinical practices in the management of fetuses and children with UTD. In addition, the use of UTD as a prognostic factor took time and effort. The most recent classification of prenatal and postnatal UTD is based on a multidisciplinary consensus of several associations and various specialists. It enables uniform classification of UTD into groups with precisely defined ultrasound parameters, uniform UTD terminology, better evaluation of the relationship between prenatal and postnatal UTD, and final urological diagnosis. It enables a correlation between UTD grade and the risk of clinically significant congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract CAKUT, with possible worse outcomes.

Key words: classification of urinary tract dilatation, congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract