Introduction:

To evaluate the early effects of ureterorenoscopy (URS) and ureteral stent placement (USP) on obstructed kidneys by using Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods:

Ten controls and 32 patients with ureteropelvic junction and ureteral stones with partial and complete obstructions treated with URS and USP were included. 19 had partial and 13 complete obstruction. Fourteen were treated with URS and the rest of them with USP. DTI was performed using a 3 Tesla magnet and single shot echo– planar sequence before and 24 hours after the treatment. Regions of interests (ROI) were placed on the corticomedullary junction for the measurement of fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). The FA and ADC of the treated kidneys were compared with their pretreatment values.

Results:

Initial ADC and FA levels of the obstructed kidneys were lower than non-obstructed kidneys in patient and the control groups. After treatment, ADC and FA values increased. The statistical evaluation showed significant difference regarding ADC and FA among the obstructed versus non-obstructed URS patients and control group (p=0.01 and p=0.04, respectively).

Conclusion:

ADC and FA parameters may help to demonstrate ultrastructural recovery in the obstructed kidneys after treatment.

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