Doppler ultrasound of the kidneys is essential in the assessment and diagnosis of kidney diseases. There are several diseases involving the kidneys. Some are functional, diffuse and systematic. Using Doppler imaging provides an assessment of vascular changes which is easily evaluated. Doppler investigation is widely used for assessment of the perfusion of renal arteries. The Doppler indexes; resistive index, pulsatility index, peak systolic are utilized for evaluating the blood flow of the renal arteries. Doppler analysis provides useful diagnostic data that can predict early damage of the kidney tissue. In recent years, ultrasound elastography showed advanced development. It is a new promising technique that is used for assessing the renal tissue characterization. Elastography is an effective imaging for assessing kidney diseases. In the future, clinicians can use elastography instead of biopsy. In this chapter, we highlighted the applications of Doppler ultrasound and elastography in evaluation of various kidney diseases.
Part of the book: Essentials of Abdominal Ultrasound