Color Doppler sonographic findings in renal vascular lesions

Three patients with renal vascular lesions, one congenital arteriovenous (AV) fistula and two renal pseudoaneurysms, were assessed with color Doppler sonography. The AV fistula was detected initially by color Doppler after having been missed by both real-time sonography and computed tomography. High frequency shift blood flow within a hypoechoic lesion noted by color Doppler characterized the AV communication. Both renal pseudoaneurysms had detectable bidirectional swirling blood flow within an anechoic portion of a complex mass. Findings in all three cases were confirmed by angiography or pathology. Color Doppler sonography seems potentially useful in the evaluation of renal vascular pathology.