title: Interobserver variability of ultrasound elastography in transplant kidneys: correlations with clinical-Doppler parameters.
abstract: Real-time sonoelastography (RSE) is a relatively new imaging technique that visualizes relative difference in tissue hardness by evaluating changes in local strain in response to external stress. Our aim was to evaluate the ability of investigators to use sonoelastography to detect differences in renal cortical stiffness and assess the relationship between stiffness and clinical-Doppler parameters. In 42 adult renal transplant recipients, sonoelastography of kidney was performed to calculate the strain ratio (SR) of the central echo complex to the renal parenchyma. Resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) were also measured. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated. Parenchymal stiffness showed significant positive correlation with RI and PI (r: 0.41 p = 0.007 and r: 0.48 p = 0.001, respectively). Parenchymal stiffness and eGFR did not have a significant correlation (p = 0.42). Interobserver agreement, expressed as intraclass correlation coeffiicient was 0.47 (95% CI: 0.05-0.70). Parenchymal stiffness (SR) showed significant positive correlation with RI and PI but sonoelastography has also wide range intra- and low interobserver agreement in renal transplants. Further studies are warranted in larger patient groups to determine the reliability of sonoelastography in renal transplants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey. drfozkan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Fuat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: Yasemin Coskun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Yavuz
authors.forename: Mehmet Fatih
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Inci
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Altunoluk
authors.forename: Nuri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozcan
authors.forename: Murvet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.forename: Hayriye
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sayarlioglu
authors.forename: Ekrem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dogan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004548:Elasticity; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler