title: Ultrasonographic study and Doppler flow velocimetry of maternal kidneys and liver in low-risk pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Longitudinal study with B-mode ultrasonography and Doppler ultrasonography of maternal kidneys and liver in low-risk pregnancy, to establish and quantify normality parameters, correlating them with physiological changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five pregnant women were assessed and selected to participate in the study, each of them undergoing four examinations at the first, second, third trimesters and postpartum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings during pregnancy were the following: increased renal volume, pyelocaliceal dilatation with incidence of 45.4% in the right kidney, and 9% in the left kidney; nephrolithiasis, 18.1% in the right kidney, 13.6% in the left kidney. With pyelocaliceal dilatation, mean values for resistivity index were: 0.68 for renal arteries; 0.66 for segmental arteries; 0.64 for interlobar arteries; 0.64 for arcuate arteries. Without pyelocaliceal dilatation, 0.67 for renal arteries; 0.64 for segmental arteries; 0.63 for interlobar arteries; and 0.61 for arcuate arteries. Portal vein flow velocities presented higher values in pregnancy, with mean value for maximum velocity of 28.9 cm/s, and 22.6 cm/s postpartum. The waveform pattern of the right hepatic vein presented changes persisting in the postpartum period in 31.8% of the patients. Cholelithiasis was observed in 18.1% of the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alterations in renal volume, pyelocaliceal dilatation, nephrolithiasis, cholelithiasis, changes in portal vein flow velocity, alterations in waveform pattern of the right hepatic vein, proved to be significant.
authors.affiliation: MD, Researcher at Instituto de Radiologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (InRad/HC-FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cibele Helena
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Daher
authors.affiliation: Physician Assistants at Unit of Ultrasonography, Instituto de Radiologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (In- Rad/HC-FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrea Cavalanti
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Physician Assistants at Unit of Ultrasonography, Instituto de Radiologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (In- Rad/HC-FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Full Professor, Division of Radiology and Imaging Diagnosis, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giovanni Guido
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Cerri
authors.affiliation: Director, Unit of Ultrasonography, Instituto de Radiologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (InRad/HC-FMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chammas
keywords: Cholelithiasis; Nephrolithiasis; Portal vein; Pregnancy; Pyelocaliceal dilatation; Right hepatic vein