Vessel Mapping for Dialysis Access Planning

The population of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States is progressively increasing, with hemodialysis (HD) as the major mode of renal replacement therapy. National guidelines recommend increasing the use of arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) in both incident and prevalent hemodialysis patients. Pre-operative vascular mapping prior to the surgical creation of an AVF is now considered standard of care and may be helpful in achieving these goals. This manuscript focuses on the advantages and limitations of the various imaging techniques currently available for vessel mapping including physical examination, ultrasonography, angiography (iodinated contrast vs. CO₂ ), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), with specific suggestions for clinical use.