Beom Jun Kim, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Chan Kyo Kim MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sung Yoon Park, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jung Jae Park MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Byung Kwan Park MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Shear-wave elastography (SWE), as a noninvasive tool, assesses quantitatively the tissue elasticity. Few studies have been reported for evaluating renal allograft function using SWE. The aim of our study was to investigate the usefulness of SWE for functional assessment of renal allografts.

81 patients (mean age, 46 years; range, 22–72 years) with renal allografts who received ultrasound-guided biopsies were enrolled in this study. All ultrasound and elasticity examinations of renal allograft were performed by a commercial scanner using a convex transducer (C5-1 ElastoPQ, Philips iU 22). SWE was performed immediately before ultrasound-guided biopsies. Tissue elasticity (kPa) in the cortex and resistive index (RI) values were measured for all renal allografts. The correlation between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and tissue elasticity or RI value was evaluated in all patients. Both tissue elasticity and RI values were compared between patients with acute rejection (AR) and without AR, and among different grades of AR. Diagnostic accuracy of tissue elasticity to distinguish between patients with AR and without AR was analyzed using a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis.

The ARs were pathologically confirmed in 39 patients. The tissue elasticity demonstrated a moderate negative correlation with eGFR (correlation coefficient= -0.600, P< 0.001), while the RI values did not show a correlation with eGFR (P= 0.273). In all renal allografts, the mean tissue elasticity was 36.2 ± 15.5 kPa: the mean tissue elasticity of ARs (40.8 ± 14.6 kPa) was significantly greater than that of no ARs (32.0 ± 15.3 kPa) (P= 0.01), while the RI values did not show significant difference between ARs and no ARs (P= 0.276). At ROC curve analysis, the area under the curve of tissue elasticity was 0.646. No significant differences among different grades of AR were found for each tissue elasticity and RI value (P> 0.05).

SWE, as a noninvasive tool, may demonstrate functional state of renal allografts. Furthermore, SWE may be useful to differentiate between renal allograft patients with AR and without AR.

As a feasible technique, shear-wave elastography may help to noninvasively assess functional state of renal allograft patients.

Kim, B, Kim, C, Park, S, Park, J, Park, B, Noninvasive Evaluation of Renal Allograft Function Using Shear-Wave Elastography.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14045508.html