Renal imaging in patients requiring renal replacement therapy

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Nephrology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Advances in imaging and interventional radiology offer new ways to assess patients with renal failure.
• Traditional methods like radiographic urograms are being replaced by advanced techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of various radiological techniques for renal failure assessment.
• To highlight the growing use of cross-sectional, noninvasive imaging methods.

Main Methods:

• Review of cross-sectional imaging techniques: gray-scale and Doppler ultrasound, MRI, MRA, and nonenhanced CT.
• Comparison with older methods like conventional radiographic urogram and digital subtraction arteriography.

Main Results:

• Noninvasive imaging methods like ultrasound, MRI, and CT are increasingly replacing conventional techniques.
• These advanced methods offer improved assessment for patients requiring renal replacement therapy.

Conclusions:

• Cross-sectional imaging techniques are valuable tools for evaluating patients with renal failure.
• Radiological investigation of complications of acquired renal cystic disease is also discussed.