Doppler sonography of renal vessels

Ultrasound is a painless imaging method used to examine various internal organs. It utilizes ultrasound waves generated by the ultrasound machine to produce accurate images of organs, blood vessels, their structures, and sizes.

Indications

Doppler ultrasound, unlike conventional ultrasound, offers a wide range of information. Using the Doppler system, blood flow velocity, direction, and volume in arteries and veins are accurately assessed.
Doppler ultrasound of vessels begins with the identification of arteries and veins, visualization along the most extensive path of the vessel available for examination, assessment of direction, caliber, pulsation, walls, and proceeds with the study of morphological processes of deposition in the vascular tree and/or vessel walls.

Doppler ultrasound of renal arteries examines the patency of blood vessels supplying the kidneys. Renal arteries are deep in the abdominal cavity, making their imaging quite complex, requiring consideration of anatomical factors (the existence of a greater number of renal arteries in the body), other patient pathologies (visualization of renal arteries is difficult in obesity, meteorism), as well as the equipment used (modern high-quality ultrasound machines).

When is Doppler ultrasound of renal arteries indicated?

Renal arteries can be narrowed in certain situations, congenitally or acquired (especially with age), in cases of hypercholesterolemia, patients (at a young age) may have pressure difficult to correct with medications, diabetes, or the presence of other kidney diseases, children with arterial hypertension, patients with renal insufficiency and kidneys of abnormal sizes, patients with arterial hypertension and a single congenital or surgical kidney.

Doppler ultrasound can determine whether problems are associated with reduced blood flow at the kidney level.

Preparation

Doppler ultrasound of renal arteries is a labor-intensive procedure and requires special preparation, elimination of aerocoly (accumulation of gases in the colon, causing bloating), hindering the examination.
The patient must meet several requirements within 3 days before the examination:

• exclude consumption of carbonated drinks, raw vegetables and fruits, concentrated sweets;
• do not eat for 5-6 hours before the examination;
• take activated charcoal and enzymes for 3-4 days before the examination;
• walk for at least 1 hour a day.

It is important to note that Doppler ultrasound of renal arteries poses no risk, is a safe, painless, non-invasive method, can be repeated several times if necessary (unlike X-ray or computer tomography, it does not involve radiation exposure).