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Review
. 2022 Apr 7;4(6):100464.
doi: 10.1016/j.xkme.2022.100464. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Kidney Ultrasound for Nephrologists: A Review

Rohit K Singla  1   2 , Matthew Kadatz  3 , Robert Rohling  2   4 , Christopher Nguan  5
Affiliations
Review

Kidney Ultrasound for Nephrologists: A Review

Rohit K Singla et al. Kidney Med. .

Abstract

Ultrasound imaging is a key investigatory step in the evaluation of chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation. It uses nonionizing radiation, is noninvasive, and generates real-time images, making it the ideal initial radiographic test for patients with abnormal kidney function. Ultrasound enables the assessment of both structural (form and size) and functional (perfusion and patency) aspects of kidneys, both of which are especially important as the disease progresses. Ultrasound and its derivatives have been studied for their diagnostic and prognostic significance in chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation. Ultrasound is rapidly growing more widely accessible and is now available even in handheld formats that allow for bedside ultrasound examinations. Given the trend toward ubiquity, the current use of kidney ultrasound demands a full understanding of its breadth as it and its variants become available. We described the current applications and future directions of ultrasound imaging and its variants in the context of chronic kidney disease and transplantation in this review.

Keywords: Chronic kidney disease; Doppler; elastography; kidney transplantation; ultrasound.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Exemplary clinical images of (A) a native kidney in longitudinal view with the liver and (B) a transplanted kidney in longitudinal view in the right iliac fossa.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sample images of color Doppler imaging used to assess a kidney’s vasculature. (B) A renal resistive index of 0.67 was calculated from the spectral information obtained.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Sample image of shear wave elastography used to assess a kidney’s parenchymal stiffness. (A) A confidence map is used to obtain high-quality measurements. (B) The elastogram demonstrates differences in regional stiffness within the tissue.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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