Related Experiment Videos
Sonographic evaluation of kidneys undergoing dialysis
Urologic Radiology
|January 1, 1985
Summary
Renal ultrasound in dialysis patients reveals shrinking kidneys and decreased thickness within 3 years. After 3 years, acquired cystic disease incidence increases, with cortical echogenicity rising after 7 years.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Radiology
- Urology
Background:
- Dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment for end-stage renal disease.
- Long-term dialysis can lead to structural changes in the kidneys.
- Understanding these changes is crucial for patient monitoring and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate renal structural and sonographic changes in patients undergoing dialysis based on treatment duration.
- To assess the incidence of acquired cystic disease and renal cell carcinoma in long-term dialysis patients.
- To compare renal sonographic findings in patients with diabetic nephropathy versus glomerulonephritis.
Main Methods:
- Renal sonograms were obtained from 205 patients undergoing dialysis.
- Kidney length, parenchymal thickness, and cortical echogenicity were assessed.
- The incidence of cysts and acquired cystic disease was recorded.
Main Results:
- Kidney length and parenchymal thickness decreased in patients treated for less than 3 years.
- After 3 years of dialysis, the incidence of renal cysts increased significantly.
- Acquired cystic disease was detected in 43 cases, including one with renal cell carcinoma. Cortical echogenicity increased after 7 years.
Conclusions:
- Long-term dialysis is associated with progressive renal structural changes, including decreased size and increased echogenicity.
- Acquired cystic disease is a common complication of long-term dialysis, with a potential for malignant transformation.
- Diabetic nephropathy patients on dialysis show fewer sonographic changes compared to glomerulonephritis patients.