KEYWORDSDoppler ultrasound; Ischemic nephropathy; Renal artery stenosis; Renovascular disease.Abstract Renovascular disease is a complex disorder, most commonly caused by fibromuscular dysplasia and atherosclerotic diseases. It can be found in one of three forms: asymptomatic renal artery stenosis (RAS), renovascular hypertension, and ischemic nephropathy. Particularly, the atherosclerotic form is a progressive disease that may lead to gradual and silent loss of renal function. Thus, early diagnosis of RAS is an important clinical objective since interventional therapy may improve or cure hypertension and preserve renal function. Screening for RAS is indicated in suspected renovascular hypertension or ischemic nephropathy, in order to identify patients in whom an endoluminal or surgical revascularization is advisable. Screening tests for RAS have improved considerably over the last decade. While captopril renography was widely used in the past, Doppler ultrasound (US) of the renal arteries (RAs), angio-CT, or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) have replaced other modalities and they are now considered the screening tests of choice. An arteriogram is rarely needed for diagnostic purposes only. Color-Doppler US (CDUS) is a noninvasive, repeatable, relatively inexpensive diagnostic procedure which can accurately screen for renovascular diseases if performed by an expert. Moreover, the evaluation of the resistive index (RI) at Doppler US may be very useful in RAS affected patients for predicting the response to revascularization. However, when a discrepancy exists between clinical data and the results of Doppler US, additional tests are mandatory.Sommario La malattia nefrovascolare è un disordine complesso e le cause più comuni sono la malattia aterosclerotica e la displasia fibromuscolare. Classicamente si presenta in una delle seguenti tre forme: stenosi dell'arteria renale (SAR) asintomatica, associata a ipertensione nefrovascolare e/o con nefropatia ischemica. La SAR su base aterosclerotica è una malattia progressiva che può determinare in maniera asintomatica o paucisintomatica perdita graduale della funzione renale. Per tale motivo, la diagnosi precoce di SAR è un obiettivo clinico importante poiché la terapia interventistica può migliorare o curare l'ipertensione e preservare la funzione renale. Lo screening per SAR è indicato nel sospetto di ipertensione nefrovascolare o di nefropatia ischemica al fine di identificare i pazienti in cui è indicato un intervento di rivascolarizzazione. I test di screening per SAR sono migliorati considerevolmente durante l'ultimo decennio. Mentre la scintigrafia con test al captopril è stata utilizzata quasi esclusivamente nel passato, l'ecocolorDoppler delle arterie renali, l'angioTC e/o l'angioRM hanno sostituito le altre modalità di screening in molti centri. Per tale motivo l'arteriografia riveste sempre più un ruolo interventistico e solo di rado diagnostico. L'ecocolorDoppler è una procedura diagnostica non invasiva, ripetibile e relativamente economica che negli ultim...

The well-established Bosniak renal cyst classification is based on contrast-enhanced computed tomography determining the malignant potential of cystic renal lesions. Ultrasound has not been incorporated into this pathway. However, the development of ultrasound contrast agents coupled with the superior resolution of ultrasound makes it possible to redefine the imaging of cystic renal lesions. In this position statement, an EFSUMB Expert Task Force reviews, analyzes, and describes the accumulated knowledge and limitations and presents the current position on the use of ultrasound contrast agents in the evaluation of cystic renal lesions.

BackgroundThe recent finding that aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) is increased in patients with inflammatory bowel disease may explain why the cardiovascular risk is increased despite the low prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. We aimed to test whether inflammation is associated with aortic stiffening in this setting after adjustment for major confounders and to perform subgroup analyses.Methods and ResultsA systematic literature search for aPWV in inflammatory bowel disease was performed using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases (last accessed May 7, 2017). Inclusion criterion was peer‐reviewed publications on clinical studies reporting original data. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐Analyses of individual participant data 2015 guidelines. Data were provided for 4 cohorts in 3 countries (151 participants with ulcerative colitis, 159 with Crohn's disease, and 227 control patients). Using aPWV, cohort‐specific z scores were calculated after loge‐transform and combined in meta‐analysis to form pooled effects using a random‐effects model. Compared with controls, aPWV was increased in patients with Crohn's disease (mean difference 0.78 z score; 95% confidence interval, 0.56–1.00 z score [P<0.001]) and ulcerative colitis (mean difference 0.75 z score; 95% confidence interval, 0.52–0.97 z score [P<0.001]). In an outlier‐robust multivariate linear regression model adjusted for prespecified confounders, aPWV was associated with disease duration (years, β=0.05 z score; 95% confidence interval, 0.02–0.08 z score [P<0.001]) and white blood cell count (billion cells/L, β=0.07 z score; 95% confidence interval, 0.02–0.11 z score [P=0.002]) but not with markers of acute inflammation (C‐reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate), cardiovascular risk factors, and therapy.ConclusionsThe increased aPWV reported in patients with inflammatory bowel disease is associated with inflammation.Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk. Unique identifier: PROSPERO 2016: CRD42016053070.

In renal diagnosis, the B-mode ultrasound is used to provide an accurate study of the renal morphology, whereas the colour and power Doppler are of strategic importance in providing qualitative and quantitative information about the renal vasculature, which can also be obtained through the assessment of the resistive index (RI). To date, this is one of the most sensitive parameters in the study of kidney diseases and allows us to quantify the changes in renal plasma flow. If a proper Doppler ultrasound examination is carried out and a critical analysis of the values obtained is performed, the RI measurement at the interlobar artery level has been suggested in the differential diagnosis between nephropathies. The aim of this review is to highlight the pathological conditions in which the study of intrarenal RI provides useful information about the pathophysiology of renal diseases in both the native and the transplanted kidneys.

Variations in the course of the blood vessels are often incidental findings during clinical examination. Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is an uncommon anomaly, estimated to be present in about 0.3-0.5% of healthy individuals and in about 3-10% of patients with congenital heart disease. It results from the failure of the left anterior cardinal vein to degenerate during embryological development. Serious complications such as shock, angina and cardiac arrest have been described during catheterization in adults with a PLSVC. Since it frequently goes undiagnosed because of lack of symptoms when not accompanied by other anomalies, variations of the superior vena cava should be considered, especially when central venous catheterization via the subclavian or internal jugular vein is difficult. The embryological development, diagnosis, and clinical implications of a PLSVC are therefore reviewed in this article.