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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
Use of 3D Robotic Ultrasound for In Vivo Analysis of Mouse Kidneys
Published on: August 12, 2021
Renal volume assessment with 3D ultrasound
A Brancaforte1, S Serantoni, F Silva Barbosa
1Dipartimento di Radiologia Diagnostica ed Interventistica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Ospedale San Paolo, Via di Rudinì 8, 20142 Milano, Italy.
Purpose:
This study was undertaken to determine the accuracy of 3D ultrasound (US) in assessing renal volume, with multislice computed tomography (MSCT) considered as the gold standard.
Materials And Methods:
Forty-nine patients (30 men, 19 women; age range 30-82 years) underwent abdominal contrast-enhanced MSCT and 3D-US performed with a 3.5-MHz 3D/4D convex-array probe. The results of the two modalities were compared with the Wilcoxon test. Variability between the two measurements was determined with the Bland-Altman method and reported in terms of bias and coefficient of repeatability (CoR).
Results:
Mean values obtained were 210 ml with MSCT and 192 ml with 3D-US (p<0.001). Analysis of variability per patient between MSCT and 3D-US showed a bias of 19 ml, a CoR of 47 ml and an accuracy of 78%, with an average 3D-US underestimation of 19 ml (9%). Analysis of variability per kidney showed a bias of 9 ml, a CoR of 34 ml and an accuracy of 80%.
Conclusions:
Three-dimensional US is a valuable technique for monitoring renal volume, whereas MSCT may be reserved for assessing renal anatomy and relationships with neighbouring organs.
