genitourinary disorders
Analgesic Nephropathy
Diagnosis of Analgesic Nephropathy
History of chronic analgesic use CT The diagnosis of analgesic nephropathy is based on history of chronic analgesic use and noncontrast CT. CT signs of analgesic nephropathy are the following: Decreased renal size Bumpy contours, defined as at least 3 indentations in the normally convex outline of the kidney Papillary calcifications The combination of these findings has a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 97% for early diagnosis ( Diagnosis reference ), but these specificity and sensitivity numbers are based on studies done when use of phenacetin-containing analgesics was widespread. 1.Elseviers MM, De Schepper A, Corthouts R, et al: High diagnostic performance of CT scan for analgesic nephropathy in patients with incipient to severe renal failure.Kidney Int48(4):1316-1323, 1995. doi: 10.1038/ki.1995.416 