Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40924183›Full record

ReviewPediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany)2026

Voiding cystourethrography for the pediatric nephrologist: clinical value, challenges, and areas of debate.

Pierluigi Marzuillo, Angela La Manna, Pier Luigi Palma, Paola Tirelli, Anna Di Sessa, Anna Russo, Alfonso Reginelli, Agnese Roberti, Laura Verde, Stefano Guarino and 1 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Pierluigi MarzuilloDepartment of Woman, Child and of General and Specialized Surgery, Università Degli Studi Della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio 2, Naples, Italy. pierluigi.marzuillo@unicampania.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4682-0170
Angela La MannaDepartment of Woman, Child and of General and Specialized Surgery, Università Degli Studi Della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio 2, Naples, Italy.
Pier Luigi PalmaDepartment of Woman, Child and of General and Specialized Surgery, Università Degli Studi Della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio 2, Naples, Italy.
Paola TirelliDepartment of Woman, Child and of General and Specialized Surgery, Università Degli Studi Della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio 2, Naples, Italy.
Anna Di SessaDepartment of Woman, Child and of General and Specialized Surgery, Università Degli Studi Della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio 2, Naples, Italy.
Anna RussoRadiology Unit, Department of Precision Medicine, Università Degli Studi Della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
Alfonso ReginelliRadiology Unit, Department of Precision Medicine, Università Degli Studi Della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
Agnese RobertiPediatric Urology Unit, "Santobono-Pausilipon" Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy.
Laura VerdeDepartment of Mathematics and Physics, Università Degli Studi Della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy.
Stefano Guarino *Department of Woman, Child and of General and Specialized Surgery, Università Degli Studi Della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Luigi De Crecchio 2, Naples, Italy.
Giovanni Di Iorio *Pediatric Urology Unit, "Santobono-Pausilipon" Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy.

Funding

Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia 4546/24
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) is indicated for evaluating the anatomy of the urethra and bladder. It is primarily used to diagnose vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and posterior urethral valves (PUV), especially in cases of febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs), significant ureteral dilation on ultrasound, and-in continent children-urinary symptoms suggestive of infravesical obstruction. VCUG exposes children to a non-negligible dose of radiation and requires urethral catheterization, which can be painful-particularly in males-and carries a low but present risk of post-procedural UTI. Despite its widespread use, VCUG can miss VUR in up to 50% of cases. Moreover, recent studies report that preoperative suspicion of PUV on VCUG was present in only 46% of non-toilet-trained and 59% of toilet-trained males, likely due to challenges in interpreting the VCUG findings. In this review, we will highlight the clinical value, challenges, and areas of debate surrounding this diagnostic test, and offer practical tips to optimize its performance.

Indexed as

CystographyUrethraUrinary BladderUrographyVesico-Ureteral RefluxChildHumansMaleUrinary Tract InfectionsUrinationPosterior urethral valvesUrinary tract infectionVesicoureteral refluxVoiding cystourethrography

Identifiers

PMID40924183
PMCPMC13009064

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.