Evaluation of Doppler ultrasound in primary non-function of renal transplants.
Doppler ultrasound investigation was performed in the renal grafts of 86 patients with primary non-function following cadaveric renal transplantation. Pulsatility Index, defined as: [formula: see text] was assessed to examine its predictive use in the diagnosis of rejection episodes as judged by a retrospective analysis of histological data. Altogether 415 Doppler examinations and 228 renal biopsies were performed. In our population the incidence of rejection was 57%. Using a pulsatility index (PI) > 1.8 to be indicative of rejection, the sensitivity of our test was 68% for vascular rejection and 65% for all rejection episodes. The specificity was 25%. We conclude that Doppler ultrasound cannot replace the need for transplant renal biopsy in patients with primary non-function.
Renal unit, Kings College Hospital (Dulwich), London, U.K.
A O
AO
Phillips
C
C
Deane
P
P
O'Donnell
M
M
Bewick
A N
AN
Hillis
D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D007683:Kidney Tubular Necrosis, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography