Prospective study of the value of ultrasound measurements in the diagnosis of acute rejection following renal transplantation

Abstract

Abstract In this prospective study we have used ultrasonographic measurements of the cross-sectional area of transplanted kidneys, as an objective assessment of graft size, for diagnosis of acute rejection episodes. Sixty episodes of acute graft dysfunction (serum creatinine rise of ≥ 30 μmol/l) were studied in 40 patients. Tru-Cut® biopsy under ultrasound control was performed in all cases and 36 episodes of acute cellular rejection were identified. An increase in graft cross-sectional area of ≥ 10 per cent was defined as a positive scan, indicative of an acute rejection episode. Using these criteria, ultrasound correctly diagnosed rejection in 29 out of 36 cases (sensitivity 81 per cent) and there were four false positive results (specificity 83 per cent). The investigation had a predictive value of 88 per cent when positive and 74 per cent when negative.