[Preliminary report. Usefulness of computed tomographic angiography in the protocol of a kidney donor]

To determine clinical correlation of reports of computed tomographic angiography renal (CT-AR) and surgical findings of the kidney donor patient.

Patients were submitted nephrectomy in the related live donor renal transplant program between January and December 2002 as paut of life to which he is made as he CT-AR study protocol. Statistical analysis was carried out by descriptive statistics.

Anatomical characteristics of 35 kidneys of the same number of live donors (AD) submitted CT-AR were evaluated and comparison with report of surgical technique was made. Incidence of accessory renal arteries was 23%. As reported by CT-AR, the were 39 renal arteries (91%) compared with 43 arteries found during surgery. CT-AR identified four supernumerary renal arteries (50%) of eight identified during surgical technique; 36 hiliar arteries (90%) and three polar arteries were identified by CT-AR (100%). Only one a case report of early bifurcation of renal artery (20%) by CT-AR was recorded. Anatomical characteristics of veins were described in their totality. CT-AR is a useful instrument to identify alterations in anatomical structure of the renal vasculature, with results similar to other studies for description of renal arteries and veins. We propose ATR as the initial study for evaluation of the renal architecture of the live kidney (LKD).