A Renal Arteriovenous Malformation Case Study: The Importance of Utilizing Color Doppler During Point-of-Care Sonography

Abstract

We report the successful diagnostic and observational treatment of a renal arteriovenous malformation (RAVM) diagnosed with point-of-care color Doppler imaging. The patient presented with clinical symptoms suggestive of hydronephrosis. A physician-performed point-of-care sonography demonstrated gray-scale imaging that initially appeared to confirm renal pelvis dilatation. However, the addition of color Doppler revealed color blooming resembling a vascular turbulence within the kidney and the renal pelvis. A computed tomography angiogram was used to confirm the diagnosis of RAVM as the etiology of renal pelvic dilation. This case highlights the potential value of using color Doppler as a standard component for physicians who evaluate patients believed to have hydronephrosis.