Renal Ultrasound

From Anvita Health Wiki

Introduction

• Clinical uses:
• assessment of renal size

• large kidneys
• hydronephrosis
• amyloidosis
• diabetes (early)
• HIV nephtopathy
• small or absent kidneys
• nephrectomy
• renal aplasia
• renal artery stenosis (common in elderly)
• renal damage from pyelonephritis, reflux nephropathy, glomerulonephritis (bilateral) [3]

• screen for urinary obstruction (may be negative early)

• benign prostatic hypertrophy
• nephrolithiasis
• tumor ( malignancy) obstructing urine flow
• retroperitoneal fibrosis [2]

• characterize mass lesions

• angiomyolipoma
• solid vs cystic
• solid masses must be > 3 cm in size

• screen for polycystic kidney disease
• renal vein thrombosis
• evaluation of anuria ( renal cortical necrosis)
• renal papillary necrosis

• NOT a screen for renal artery stenosis [1].
• Duplex ultrasonography of renal arteries has a sensitivity of > 90% for detection & degree of atherosclerotic renal disease, but is operator dependent [2].

More General Terms

• ultrasound (US, UTZ)

References

1. Mayo Internal Medicine Board Review, 1998-99, Prakash UBS (ed) Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia, 1998, pg 621
2. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, 14, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998, 2006
3. National Kidney Federation (UK) [1]

renal ultrasound