When should imaging studies be done for UTI?
Patients who present with severe systemic manifestations, including sepsis, should have urgent imaging to exclude obstruction, abscess, or other abnormalities that may require surgical intervention for immediate source control.
For patients with less severe presentations, imaging to identify underlying abnormalities that may require urologic intervention should be considered if the initial clinical response after 48 to 72 hours is not satisfactory, or if there is an early relapse posttherapy and the infecting organism is susceptible to the antimicrobial given.
The optimal imaging modality is a contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan.
