Emergency Department Targeted Ultrasound for the Detection of Hydronephrosis

Emergency Department Targeted Ultrasound for the Detection of Hydronephrosis

An Emergency Department Targeted Ultrasound (EDTU) is an ultrasound examination performed by an emergency department physician, instead of a radiologist or ultrasound technician. EDTU is intended to be a readily assessable test performed at the bedside, to quickly and safely determine the presence of a disease state; it answers a binary question, as compared to formal ultrasound imaging which seeks to determine the cause of a patient's symptoms.

The objective of this study is to determine the accuracy of EDTU in patients suspected of renal colic. By demonstrating excellent test characteristics, these investigators hope that this research will be used to incorporate EDTU for hydronephrosis into standard emergency care in Canada.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Emergency Department patients
• Males and Females
• Age 16-65
• Undergoing CT scan of the abdomen or formal ultrasound of the abdomen at Kingston General Hospital or Hotel Dieu Hospital in Kingston, Ontario.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Hemodynamic instability
• Fever
• Leukocytes or nitrites on dipstick urinalysis
• Pregnancy
• Renal failure
• Single functioning kidney or renal transplant