Background: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has the potential to improve the imaging of renal blood flow and renal lesional vascularity in real time with high temporal and spatial resolution.
Purpose: This study investigated the clinical significance of real-time CEUS in cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Materials and methods: Included patients were stratified according to their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): Group I (CKD stage I and II), eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2; group II (CKD stage III), eGFR of 30 ≤ eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2; and group III (CKD stage IV and V), eGFR of eGFR < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2. Real-time and dynamic imaging of the renal cortex was performed using CEUS. Several bolus model perfusion and laboratory parameters were compared. The differences in perfusion or laboratory parameters among the groups and correlation between perfusion or laboratory parameters and eGFR were assessed.
Results: Of the 24 patients, 4 were classified into group I, 13 into group II, and 7 into group III. No significant differences were found among the three groups in the perfusion parameter analysis. No parameter was significantly positively correlated with eGFR. In the laboratory parameter analysis, significant differences in several parameters (RBC, BUN, SCr, glucose, TCh, phosphorus, TP, p < 0.05) were detected among the three groups. These parameters significantly correlated with eGFR (correlation coefficient, R = - 0.7625 to 0.6026).
Conclusions: Kidney perfusion parameters in CEUS do not correlate with kidney function in this pilot study.
Keywords: Chronic Kidney Disease; Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound; Microcirculation; Perfusion; Quantitative Evaluation.