20 week scan - poss dilated kidneys

Hi All,

I had my 20 week scan the other day and there were these black dots on the kidneys...something to do with dilated kidneys or something?

Apparently if they are under 4 they are ok and if its 4-6 they keep an eye on them and re scan at 30 weeks.

Has anyone else had this come up on their scan? The doc said not to stress about it as its common esp with boys?

Hi Schatsy, yep we had that with our first little boy. On the 20 week they got a measurement of 6 then 5 (the width of the tube that passes between the kidneys and bladder) on one kidney. This meant it might be possible to have 'reflux' of fluid from the bladder into the kidney. Therefore increase risk of infections etc. It is quite common and the public system manages it really well.

We had a referral to a paed when DS was about 6 weeks (you could pay to have it done sooner but our MW assured us it wasn't really urgent) and he checked him out. Then referred us for a kidney scan. We had another one at one year and will have one when DS is two. This is a problem they eventually 'grow' out of but the key is just to make sure there isn't any scarring to the kidney in the meantime (from infections that aren't picked up on). So for us we just have to make sure any fever/signs of a urinary tract infection are taken to the Dr so an infection can be treated wih antibiotics.

Your little one might not need any of this and may be fine at the next scan but otherwise it is all very straightforward.

Congrats on your little boy and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!

Kellz is right, most occurrences of dilated kidney/renal pelvis seen antenatally resolve by themselves before bub is born, and it'salso more commonly seen in boys. Not sure why, different plumbing maybe?

One of my gremlins had a dilated kidney, although hers wasn't picked up til 30 weeks. We had a pediatrician come and check her at Birthcare within 24 hours of birth and she was referred for a scan at 7 days old (you have to wait that long for their kidneys to be effectively processing urine post-birth). That scan showed hers was still dilated to a moderate/severe level, so she had a more detailed x-ray procedure with contrast dye at 6 weeks and this showed a blockage in one of her ureters (tube between the bladder and kidney). She had surgery to remove the blockage at 8 weeks.

It all sounds a bit scary, and at the time it was, but she's never had a   single UTI post-surgery, she got discharged from renal clinic at 3 and she's now a very healthy 5 1/2, so all in all not such a big deal.

I'd probably push to have a scan at 30-weeks regardless (I've had both my subsequent bubs checked at 30 weeks as recommended by the renal specialist) just to be on the safe side, most likely it will have resolved by then, but if not, you'll be able to ensure all the appropriate follow up is in place for after he is born.

Best of luck!

At had that with my 4th child but it was picked up at the scan at 36wks. He saw a ped when he was a couple of days old and had a scan at 6wks, 6mths and 14mths and it slowly decreased over time. Hes a fit healthy 4yr old now :).