title: Renal ultrasound elastography.
abstract: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) incidence and prevalence are increasing in Western countries, due particularly to diabetes mellitus and hypertension-related nephropathies. CKD may lead to end-stage renal failure, with extensive morbidity, mortality and increasing health costs. Primary and secondary prevention requires a better knowledge of mechanisms underlying renal scarring, the development of specific therapies to slow down the progression of the disease and the development of non-invasive diagnostic tools to characterize the process. Ultrasound elastography is a new imaging technique under development that provides information about renal stiffness. Kidney elasticity measurements with ultrasound should be performed with a quantitative technique, such as Shearwave techniques. However kidney stiffness is not only related to fibrosis, as it also sensitive to mechanical and functional parameters such as anisotropy, vascularization, hydronephrosis and external pressure. This paper reviews the existing ultrasound elastography techniques. Elastography is a new tool under development for renal tissue characterization and needs further validation in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Service d'imagerie diagnostique et interventionnelle de l'adulte, université Bordeaux-Segalen, groupe hospitalier Pellegrin, CHU de Bordeaux, place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France. nicolas.grenier@chu-bordeaux.fr
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grenier
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gennisson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cornelis
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Le Bras
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Couzi
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005923:Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods