Distribution of renal scars and intrarenal reflux in children with a past history of urinary tract infection.

The distribution of renal scars in children with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and a past history of urinary tract infection was studied to see whether a correlation existed between renal scarring and intrarenal reflux. In 37 children with one or more scars in one or both kidneys, scarring was significantly more frequent in the polar areas than in the lateral area. In 7 children with intrarenal reflux (IRR), the distribution of IRR was almost identical with that of renal scarring. When children with marked VUR (grade IV-V) were analyzed separately, a uniform distribution of scars was found. It was concluded that fused papillae, which normally are most frequent in the polar area, are a prerequisite for the development of IRR/renal scars.