Quantitative assessment of early kidney injury using high frame rate contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in a rabbit model of diabetic nephropathy.

Abstract

To explore benefits of high-frame-rate contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (H-CEUS) for early kidney injury in arabbit model of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Diabetic rabbits were induced with alloxan administration and split into2 groups with or without urinary microalbuminuria after a fatty and sugary diet: diabetic rabbits with nephropathy (Group A)and diabetic rabbits without nephropathy (Group B). The control group (Group C) comprised healthy rabbits. Renal H-CEUSand conventional CEUS (C-CEUS) imaging were conducted. Serum creatinine (SCR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and urinarymicroalbuminuria were measured. SCR and BUN levels were barely changed in Groups B and C (p>0.05), whereasGroup A exhibited a rise (p<0.05). Perfusion parameters of the two CEUS modalities showed reduced peak intensity (PI) andascending slope (AS) and elevated area under the curve (AUC) and time to peak (TTP) in Group A versus Group B (p<0.05)and Group B versus Group C (p<0.05). The arrival time (AT) and descending slope (DS) exhibited little difference among thethree groups. H-CEUS had a stronger correlation of perfusion parameters with SCR and BUN than C-CEUS. H-CEUS outperforms C-CEUS in diagnosing early renal damage in DN. H-CEUS perfusion parameters demonstrate temporalsuperiority over routine laboratory indices.