LAUSR

The utility of non‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has not been examined extensively for diagnosing acute pyelonephritis (APN) in children. The aims of this study were to compare non‐enhanced MRI with technetium‐99 m dimercaptosuccinic acid (99mTc‐DMSA) renal scintigraphy in detecting APN. Six boys and one girl with temperature ≥38°C and positive urine culture received both non‐enhanced MRI with whole body diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) and 99mTc‐DMSA scintigraphy ≤7 days from the fever onset. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI in detecting APN lesions diagnosed on 99mTc‐DMSA scintigraphy were 80% and 100%, respectively. Non‐enhanced MRI in children with suspected APN ≤7 days from fever onset might be a suitable replacement for 99mTc‐DMSA scintigraphy for the detection of APN.