Spiral CT Angiography Versus Color Doppler U/S in Renal Arteries Assessment

Abstract

Early detection of renovascular hypertension secondary to renal artery stenosis is important to be diagnosed as it is a curable disease. Contrast angiography is the mainstem of renal vascular imaging but it is time and effort consuming and is associated with risk of catheterization and exposure to contrast material and high dose of radiation. For these reasons, other less invasive modalities have been emerged. Spiral CT angiogrcphy is an accurate modality which is minimally invasive and has many advantages including diminished patient morbidity and cost. The ability to create multiplanar and 3-D images is an important diagnostic advantage (Galanski et al., 1993). Also spiral CT angiography is a suitable replacement for intravenous urography and angiography in the evaluation of living potential kidney donors (Alfrey et al., 1995). Doppler U/S is a non invasive modality for assessment of renal arteries. Although it is operator-dependent, it represents a potentially valuable tool in screening patients for renovascular hypertension especially in atients in whom the clinical picture does not merit angiography and who subsequently benefit