Acute Pyelonephritis Fig. The right kidney is normal.
Acute pyelonephritis is usually due to bacterial infection and most often is seen in diabetics.
The excretory urography may show non-functioning kidney or a delayed persistent or striated nephrogram. The striated appearance is due to the contrast seen the collecting ducts. In addition CT may show microabscesses or large abscesses. In advanced cases, especially in diabetics, papillary necrosis can occur and this sitution - acute suppurative pyelonephritis is more often bilateral in diabetics.