Renal artery aneurysm: evaluation with color Doppler ultrasonography before and after percutaneous transarterial embolization.

Abstract

Renal artery aneurysms account for 22% of all visceral aneurysms.1 The prevalence of renal artery aneurysms in the general population is reported to vary between 0.01% and 1.0%2; however, this prevalence has recently increased because of the greater detection of these aneurysms made possible by advances in ultrasonography, CT, and MR imaging. The most serious complication of renal artery aneurysms is their rupture, which is followed by sudden death.3 The likelihood of rupture seems to increase as the diameter of the aneurysm exceeds 1 cm.2,3 Although surgical treatment had been common for these aneurysms (i.e., total renal resection), a percutaneous embolization technique has also recently been performed with success.4 This technique is less invasive than surgical resection for patients with renal artery aneurysms and sometimes preserves renal function. We report a case of a renal artery aneurysm 4 cm in diameter treated with percutaneous transcatheter embolization whose therapeutic effect was better evaluated by color Doppler ultrasonography than CT and MR imaging.