Utility of renal artery ultrasound for detecting stenosis or obstruction: A narrative review

Abstract

Acute renal failure can result from many conditions, in which renal artery stenosis (RAS) or renal artery obstruction (RAO) can be corrected with appropriate interventional or surgical procedures. The renal artery can be directly depicted with currently available ultrasound (US) scanners. Therefore, we can determine if there is RAS or RAO in patients with poor renal function using renal artery US. However, there are few reports about the utility of renal artery US in excluding stenosis or obstruction. The purpose of this review is to show clinical applications and diagnostic pitfalls of renal artery US in detecting RAS or RAO.