[Indirect approach of stenosis of transplanted kidneys by Doppler echography]

Pulsed Doppler ultrasound for the detection of rejection and renal artery stenoses involving transplanted kidneys was evaluated. Using mean velocity curves, the time interval between the ECG R wave and the onset of peak velocity was measured successively on the renal and ipsilateral iliac arteries and divided by the R-R interval. In 27 patients, a Doppler index defined as the ratio of the standardized renal artery and iliac artery time intervals, was determined and compared to angiographic data. The DI index failed to detect stenoses associated with rejection; conversely, in the absence of rejection, clear separation of patients without (n = 14, DI = 1.03 +/- 0.6) and with (n = 6, DI = 1.24 +/- 0.05) stenosis (t = 7.48, p less than 0.001) was achieved. Thus renal artery stenoses in transplant recipients can be detected by the comparative study of time intervals calculated for renal vessels and for the neighbouring iliac artery.