Licurse Score for Renal Ultrasound
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Result:
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Formula
Addition of the selected points:
Variable |
Points |
|
History of hydronephrosis* |
Yes |
High-risk group |
No |
- |
|
Race |
Non-black |
1 |
Black |
0 |
|
History of recurrent urinary tract infections |
Yes |
1 |
No |
0 |
|
Diagnosis consistent with possible obstruction** |
Yes |
1 |
No |
0 |
|
History of congestive heart failure |
No |
1 |
Yes |
0 |
|
History of sepsis or prerenal acute kidney injury, use of pressors, or hypotension |
No |
1 |
Yes |
0 |
|
Exposure to nephrotoxic medications*** prior to acute kidney injury |
No |
1 |
Yes |
0 |
*Documented history of HN in the medical record or any imaging history of HN in the 2 years prior to the current RUS.
**e.g. benign prostatic hyperplasia, abdominal or pelvic cancer, neurogenic bladder, single functional kidney, or previous pelvic surgery.
***Aspirin (>81 mg/day), diuretic, ACE inhibitor, or IV vancomycin.
Facts & Figures
Interpretation:
Licurse Score |
Risk group |
Risk of hydronephrosis on imaging |
Risk of hydronephrosis requiring stent or nephrostomy tube placement |
≤2 |
Low |
4.0% |
1.1% |
3 |
Medium |
6.8% |
0.5%* |
>3 |
High |
20.9% |
4.9% |
From Ip 2016.
*Data are from the validation study, which found a paradoxical decrease in risk of hydronephrosis requiring urologic intervention for medium- versus low-risk scores. Wider validation is needed to further clarify actual risk.

About the Creator
Adam M. Licurse, MD, MHS, is an internist at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. He is also an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Licurse’s primary research is focused on diagnostic radiology and nephrology.
To view Dr. Adam M. Licurse's publications, visit PubMed