There are different degrees of severity of urinary reflux, graded from 1 to 5. Grade 1 is the mildest form, while grade 5 is the most severe.
Urine (shown in blue) refluxes part-way up the ureter.
Urine refluxes all the way up the ureter.
Urine refluxes all the way up the ureter with some widening (dilatation) of the ureter and the part of the kidney where urine collects (calyces).
Urine refluxes all the way up the ureter with a marked widening of the ureter and the part of the kidney where urine collects.
Massive reflux of urine up the ureter with marked twisting and widening of the ureter and the part of the kidney where urine collects.
Graphics of a normal kidney, ureter and bladder and grades 1 to 5 reflux reproduced from Texas Pediatric Surgical Associates website (no longer available) with permission.
This page last reviewed 30 August 2018.
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