title: Renal transplant vascular complications: the role of Doppler ultrasound.
abstract: Improvements in the care of kidney transplant recipients and advances in immunosuppressive therapy have reduced the incidence of graft rejection. As a result, other types of kidney transplant complications, such as surgical, urologic, parenchymal, and vascular complications, have become more common. Although vascular complications account for only 5-10 % of all post-transplant complications, they are a frequent cause of graft loss. Ultrasonography, both in B-mode and with Doppler ultrasound, is a fundamental tool in the differential diagnosis of renal allograft dysfunction. Doppler ultrasound is highly specific in cases of transplanted renal artery stenosis, pseudoaneurysms, arteriovenous fistulas, and thrombosis with complete or partial artery or vein occlusion. A single measurements of color Doppler indexes display high diagnostic accuracy and in particular cases are more useful during the post-transplantation follow-up period. More recent techniques, such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound, undoubtedly increase the accuracy of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of vascular complications involving the transplanted kidney.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, "St. Giovanni di Dio" Hospital, Agrigento, Italy ; Via F. Paradiso n°78/a, 95024 Acireale (CT), Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granata
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, Humanitas, Centro Catanese di Oncologia, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clementi
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, "St. Andrea" Hospital, La Spezia, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Londrino
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Unit, AOU "Vittorio Emanuele, Policlinico", Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veroux
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, "Santa Maria della Consolazione" Hospital, Rovigo, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiorini
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Nefrologia, Scuola di Specializzazione in Nefrologia, University Hospital of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fatuzzo
keywords: Doppler ultrasound; Renal transplant; Ultrasonography; Vascular complications