Progress in diagnosis and treatment of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) is a type of diseases caused by the defects in the embryonic development of the kidney and urinary tract, and characterized by congenital anatomic abnormalities of urinary system, having various phenotypes.CAKUT is the main cause of end-stage renal disease in children, and many studies have proved that its pathogenesis is related to multiple factors like gene mutation, gene copy number variation and environment although the pathogenesis is not fully clear at present.The early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of CAKUT can be conducted by using appropriate imaging methods and some new biomarkers.In addition, prenatal screening and intervention of CAKUT are of great significance to prevent the occurrence and delay the progress of CAKUT.The etiology, diagnosis and treatment of CAKUT in children were reviewed in this study to allow medical workers to have a fuller understanding of this disease. Key words: Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract; Etiology; Diagnosis; Intervention; Child