Normal ureteral diameter in infancy and childhood

Abstract

Ureteral diameters were estimated on films from intravenous urography in 194 children (100 boys and 94 girls) aged 0-16 years. Children with signs of urinary tract infection, calculi, obstruction, duplication or malformation were excluded. Films obtained without abdominal compression were used for measurements, including only ureters visualized over 50 per cent of their lengths. A good correlation was demonstrated between ureteral diameter and age (r = 0.69) and between ureteral diameter and the length of a segment of the lumbar spine (r = 0.73). The widest part of the ureter was most often located just above the crossing of the iliac vessels. The right ureter was slightly wider than the left one. No difference between boys and girls was noted. The results are in good agreement with those of others obtained at autopsy. Bearing in mind the possible physiologic variations, it would seem that measuring the ureteral diameter can be of value for a more objective differentiation between dilated and non-dilated ureters.