Color-coded duplex ultrasound for diagnosis of renal artery stenosis and as follow-up examination after revascularization

Currently, angiography is still considered to be the gold standard for the diagnosis of a renal artery stenosis (RAS). However, angiography is invasive and carries the potential risk of haematoma, pseudoaneurysm, contrast agent induced nephropathy, and athermanous embolization. Color-coded duplex ultrasound is a noninvasive frequently repeatable bed-side examination and is currently the only diagnostic method to reliably differentiate between a hemodynamically relevant or irrelevant stenosis using the side-to-side difference of the intrarenal resistance index (RI). There is a highly specific correlation between a side difference of the RI of >0.05 and an at least 70% angiographic diameter stenosis. All other duplex parameters like a peak systolic flow velocity >200 cm/sec or a renal aortic flow velocity ratio >3.5 are correlated to a 50 or 60% angiographic diameter stenosis and offer therefore indeed a high sensitivity in terms of detecting a RAS; however, the specificity detecting a hemodynamically relevant RAS is low. Provided that duplex ultrasound is performed by an experienced physician with an adequate machine it should be the preferred imaging method. The present article gives an overview about the literature related to duplex based diagnosis of RAS and as a follow-up diagnostic procedure following RAS revascularization. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.