A new view of renal abcesses

Among the many options for visualizing the urinary tract, including ultrasound and cortical scintigraphy, computed tomography (CT) is not a usual player. On the other hand, parenchymal abnormalities seen on CTs, which are done in the context of evaluating persistent fever, unexplained abdominal pain, or other complaints, may provide the first indication of kidney infection. Because these images are not obtained as frequently as other urinary tract studies, it is sometimes difficult to know what to make of them.