title: Correlation of histopathologic and dynamic tissue perfusion measurement findings in transplanted kidneys.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cortical perfusion of the renal transplant can be non-invasively assessed by color Doppler ultrasonography. We performed the Dynamic Tissue Perfusion Measurement (DTPM) of the transplant's renal cortex using color Doppler ultrasonography (PixelFlux technique), and compared the results with the histopathological findings of transplant biopsies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-six DTPM studies of the renal transplant's cortex followed by transplant biopsies were performed in 78 patients. The cortical perfusion data were compared with the parameter of peritubular inflammatory cell accumulation (PTC 0 to 3) based on Banff-classification system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant decrease of cortical perfusion could be demonstrated as the inflammatory cells accumulation in peritubular capillaries increased. Increasing peritubulitis caused a perfusion loss from central to distal layers of 79% in PTC 0, of 85% in PTC 1, of 94% in PTC 2, and of 94% in PTC 3. Furthermore, the perfusion loss due to peritubular inflammation was more prominent in the distal cortical layer. The extent of perfusion decline with increasing peritubulitis (from PTC 0 to PTC 3) was 64% in proximal 20% cortical layer (p20), 63% in proximal 50% cortical layer (p50), increased to 76% in distal 50% cortical layer (d50), and peaked at 90% in the distal 20% cortical layer (d20). For those without peritubulitis (PTC 0), the increase in the the Interstitial Fibrosis/Tubular Atrophy (IF/TA) score was accompanied by a significantly increased cortical perfusion. A Polyomavirus infection was associated with an increased cortical perfusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated that the perfusion of the renal transplant is associated with certain pathological changes within the graft. DTPM showed a significant reduction of cortical perfusion in the transplant renal cortex related to peritubular capillary inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Chemnitz Clinics, Flemmingstr, 4, D -09116, Chemnitz, Germany. t.scholbach@skc.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Scholbach
authors.forename: Hsin-Kai
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: An-Hang
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Che-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Loong
authors.forename: Tsai-Hong
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015424:Reperfusion / Q000379:methods; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult