[Use of magnetic resonance in preoperative evaluation of urinary tract obstruction in children--initial results].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate hitherto assembled experience with the application of magnetic resonance in the preoperative diagnosis of patients with obstruction of the upper urinary pathways. METHOD: Urography using magnetic resonance was performed in 22 children aged 1 month to 17 years with a sonographically assessed dilatation of the upper urinary pathways. The examinations were compared with concurrent excretory urography and formed part of a complex of preoperative examinations. RESULTS: In seven patients magnetic urography was evaluated as more accurate than excretory urography, in five instances excretory urography was more accurate, in the remaining children the results were comparable. CONCLUSION: The advantage of urography implemented by magnetic resonance is the short examination time, its non-invasive character, absence of ionizing radiation, impossible allergenization, and the examination does not depend on the functional fitness of the kidney. The results of examination are comparable with X-ray excretory urography.