Abnormality of renal position leading to interpretation error in DMSA scintigraphy

Renal cortical scintigraphy with dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is the reference standart for assessing renal damage. Urinary tract infection is the most common indication for DMSA scanning during childhood. The results of DMSA scintigraphy influence clinical decision making in children with urinary tract infections. There are some pitfalls in interpreting DMSA scans. We describe a nine-year old girl with abnormal position of the right kidney leading to misinterpretation of DMSA scintigrams obtained due to urinary tract infection.