Audit of paediatric renograms performed at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital

Abstract

Paediatric Nuclear Medicine is associated with a high preponderance of nephro-urological investigations. This preponderance has been attributed to the relatively higher occurrence of urinary tract infections and their sequelae in children, as well as to improved antenatal detection of anomalies of the genitor-urinary tract. Nuclear Medicine is involved in the management of these children to assist with diagnosis, clinical decision-making and follow-up of global and relative renal function. As such, these scans need to be carried out as efficiently as possible. International protocols established by the European and American societies of Nuclear Medicine have been formulated to aid the Nuclear Medicine technologist and physician in performing these procedures and interpreting them correctly. Audits of Nuclear Medicine practice are performed in order to assess compliance with these guidelines. A clinical audit has been defined as “a systematic and critical analysis of the quality of medical care, including procedures for diagnosis and treatment.” An audit of the renal paediatric procedures carried out in the Division of Nuclear Medicine at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital was performed retrospectively on studies carried out from January 2006 - December 2009, as well as a prospective study of procedures from February – July 2010. Results showed overall conformity to most of the recommended practices of the EANM guidelines. As occurs in most institutions, each institution may adapt guidelines to comply with local circumstances.