Technique of color Doppler quantification of vascularity in transplanted kidneys.
A new technique for the quantification of vascularity based on the analysis of color Doppler images is described. We utilized velocity information obtained directly from cineloops transferred to a computer for off-line analysis. This methodology was used in transplanted kidneys to assess parenchymal vascularity on the basis of percentage color pixel density and mean flow velocity in mid-kidney cross-sectional regions of interest and the distance from the most peripheral color pixels to the capsule of the kidney. Other color Doppler quantitative methods have lacked reproducibility, and therefore before evaluation of the clinical usefulness of this technique, intraobserver reproducibility and interobserver reliability were assessed in 42 patients; no statistically significant variation was demonstrated. In 13 patients with normally functioning transplants, the mean maximum color pixel density was 34.7+/-13.4%, the mean flow velocity was 5.2+/-0.9 cm/second, and the mean distance to the capsule was 3.3+/-1.1 mm.
Gruenewald
Simon
S
Department of Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound, Westmead Hospital, Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales 2145, Australia.
Skerrett
David
D
Dolimier
Damien
D
Nankivell
Brian
B
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*