Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Evaluation of Renal Blood Perfusion Changes After Percutaneous Transluminal Renal Angioplasty and Stenting for Severe Atherosclerotic Renal Artery Stenosis

Abstract

This study used contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to evaluate changes in renal cortical blood perfusion after percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty and stenting (PTRAS) for severe renal artery stenosis (RAS) (≥70%). CEUS was performed in 21 patients with 24 severe RASs that underwent PTRAS. Renal cortical perfusion was quantitatively evaluated by comparing time intensity curve (TIC) parameters for SonoVue (Bracco, Milan, Italy) contrast enhancement, including peak intensity (PI), time to peak (TTP), mean transmit time (MTT), curve ascending slope (S), area under the curve (AUC), AUC-wash-in and AUC-wash-out. The parameters PI, TTP, MTT and S differed significantly between the pre-intervention and post-intervention TIC analysis (p < 0.05). Of the 24 pre-intervention curve appearances, 58.3% (14/24) improved after operation. The PI difference correlated positively with the estimated glomerular filtration rate difference (r = 0.433, p < 0.05). In conclusion, changes in some ultrasound perfusion parameters on CEUS and the shape of the TIC can be used to quantitatively and intuitively evaluate renal cortical blood perfusion change after PTRAS.