A study of resistive indices in the arcuate arteries of the kidney over the course of gestation.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to assess whether there was a variation in the resistive index (RI) of the arcuate artery in the kidneys of patients with hydronephrosis in pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Forty-seven patients were studied to establish norms for the RI of the arcuate arteries in pregnancy, and these measurements were correlated with the development of hydronephrosis over the course of gestation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The RIs were noted to remain unchanged from the nonpregnant state throughout gestation. They were also unchanged by the presence of the physiologic hydronephrosis of pregnancy.