Evaluation of the relationship between renal function and renal volume-vascular indices using 3D power Doppler ultrasound.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between renal function and total renal volume-vascular indices using 3D power Doppler ultrasound (3DPDUS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred six patients with hypertensive proteinuric nephropathy (HPN) (49 male, 57 female) and 65 healthy controls (32 male, 33 female) were evaluated prospectively using 3DPDUS. Total renal volume (RV), vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI) were calculated using Virtual Organ Computer-aided Analysis (VOCAL). The estimated glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) of the patients with HPN and the control group were calculated. The patients with HPN were divided into two groups on the basis of GFR, normal (≥90) or reduced (<90). Differences between groups were compared using ANOVA. Correlations between GFR, renal volume and vascular indices were analyzed using Pearson's correlation analysis. Significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: The mean total RV, VI, FI and VFI values in the reduced GFR, normal GFR and control groups were RV (ml) 234.7, 280.7 and 294.6; VI 17.6, 27.6 and 46.8; FI 79.1, 88.7 and 93.9 and VFI 7.1, 12.7 and 23.8. There were statistically significant differences between the groups (p<0.001). Total RVs and vascular indices exhibited significant correlations with estimated GFR (r=0.53-0.59, p<0.001) CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound is a reliable predictive technique in renal function analysis.