Imaging features of gray-scale and contrast-enhanced color Doppler US for the differentiation of transient renal arterial ischemia and arterial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the imaging features on gray-scale and contrast-enhanced color Doppler US images which differentiate renal ischemia from renal infarction.


METHODS
The segmental renal arteries of eight healthy rabbits were surgically ligated. In four of these rabbits, the ligated renal artery was released 60 minutes after arterial occlusion to cause transient ischemia. In the remaining four rabbits, the arterial ligation was retained to cause a permanent infarction. The gray-scale and contrast-enhanced color Doppler US imaging features of the involved renal parenchyma of both ischemia and infarction groups were compared with respect to the presence or absence of parenchymal swelling, echogenicity changes, tissue loss and perfusion defects.


RESULTS
Parenchyma swelling, echogenic changes, tissue loss and perfusion defects were found to be more extensive in the infarction than the ischemia group. The hyperechoic areas reperfused with blood flow recovered normal echogenicity and perfusion, whereas the hyperechoic areas without reperfusion became renal infarcts.


CONCLUSIONS
Gray-scale and contrast-enhanced color Doppler US showed that the hyperechoic areas with reperfusion may reverse to normal parenchyma and allow the differentiation of renal ischemia from renal infarction.
Park
Byung Kwan
BK
Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, SNUMRC, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Seung Hyup
SH
Moon
Min Hoan
MH
Jung
Sung Il
SI
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007238:Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D012077:Renal Artery; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media