Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging of the Kidney: Basic Concepts and Protocols

Noninvasive, robust, and reproducible methods to image kidneys are provided by different imaging modalities. A combination of modalities (multimodality) can give better insight into structure and function and to understand the physiology of the kidney. Magnetic resonance imaging can be complemented by a multimodal imaging approach to obtain additional information or include interventional procedures. In the clinic, renal ultrasound has been essential for the diagnosis and management of kidney disease and for the guidance of invasive procedures for a long time. Adapting ultrasound to preclinical requirements and for translational research, the combination with photoacoustic imaging expands the capabilities to obtain anatomical, functional, and molecular information from animal models. This chapter describes the basic concepts of how to image kidneys using different and most appropriate modalities.This chapter is based upon work from the COST Action PARENCHIMA, a community-driven network funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) program of the European Union, which aims to improve the reproducibility and standardization of renal MRI biomarkers. This introduction chapter is complemented by two separate chapters describing the experimental procedure and data analysis.