title: Renal ultrasound abnormalities in children with end-stage liver disease--reversal by liver transplantation.
abstract: Ultrasound (US) imaging of the kidneys was performed in 43 pediatric patients with end-stage liver disease evaluated for orthotopic liver transplantation. Renal size was increased in 8 patients (19%) and echogenicity of the kidneys was increased in 12 patients (28%). In 12 patients studied after liver transplantation, US revealed normal renal size in all and increased echogenicity in only 2 patients shortly after transplantation. Normalization of renal US findings was also found in 2 patients studied before and after liver transplantation. The glomerular filtration rate varied from 65 to 225 ml/min per 1.73 m2 in 5 patients with abnormal US, and from 74 to 116 ml/min per 1.73 m2 in 3 patients with normal US. Nephromegaly and increased echogenicity on renal US are frequent in children with end-stage liver disease and appear to be mostly reversible by liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Nephrology, UCLA Center for the Health Sciences.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Querfeld
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Boechat
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berquist
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kangarloo
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Busuttil
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Fine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D014463:Ultrasonography