Renal Artery Duplex Ultrasonography

Abstract

Renal artery duplex ultrasonography (RADUS) is a non-invasive, safe, inexpensive and accurate method for assessing the renal arteries. Common uses for RADUS include diagnosis of renal artery stenosis (RAS) in patients with clinical clues suggestive of the disease; surveillance of patients with known native or transplant artery RAS; following renal artery stent revascularization; and for corroboration after suspicious findings are found by other imaging modalities. The RADUS examination includes spectral Doppler velocities obtained from the abdominal aorta at the level of the renal arteries, throughout the entire renal artery, and in the renal parenchyma. It is noteworthy that as the kidneys are located in the retroperitoneum, imaging of native renal arteries with RADUS requires a high degree of technical skill and extensive training. Due to this and several other inherent limitations, use of other imaging modalities should be considered to corroborate RADUS findings prior to intervention.