Value of prior imaging review before ordering renal sonography in the evaluation of abnormal renal function.

Abstract

To determine the prognostic relevance of prior imaging studies in the evaluation of patients referred for renal ultrasound (US) examination to investigate abnormal renal function tests. We conducted a retrospective study of 208 consecutive renal US examinations performed for abnormal renal function tests. 68% (142/208) of patients reviewed for the study had prior abdominal imaging with 15% (21/142) receiving that imaging within 1 month prior to the renal US study and 56% (80/142) within the prior year. Of all patients with prior imaging studies, only 6/142 (4%) demonstrated any significant interval change, with development of hydronephrosis, which was also clinically evident as a substantial rise in serum creatinine level. Review of prior imaging studies, in addition to other pertinent clinical data, should result in a significant reduction in the number of unnecessary renal US examinations performed in patients with abnormal renal function. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:537-541, 2017.