[How I explore ... a suspicion of renal artery stenosis]

Abstract

Renal artery stenosis can present 2 clinical pictures, sometimes associated and potentially treatable, due mainly to atherosclerosis, but also to fibromuscular dysplasia. The first possible presentation is renovascular hypertension which represents 1% of unselected hypertensive populations. The second possible presentation is ischemic renal disease, which represent 10% of the new indications for dialysis therapy and has a 50% mortality rate at 3 years. To explore this disease, arteriography, the gold standard, must be reserved for confirmation and treatment. Hypertension induced by the stenosis is best approached by captopril renal MAG 3 scintigraphy. Measurement of the stenosis severity can be performed either by duplex ultrasonography, magnetic resonance angiography or spinal CT angiography according to patients' characteristics, local experience and facilities. This disease must be searched in the presence of renal insufficiency of unknown cause or refractory hypertension.