Interventional radiology in renal trauma

Abstract

Injury to the kidney is relatively common in significant abdominal trauma with the majority of injuries being secondary to a blunt rather than penetrating mechanism. Iatrogenic injury is an important additional cause of renal vascular damage. Multidetector computed tomography (CT) is the reference imaging modality in patients with suspected blunt, penetrating or iatrogenic injury. It allows rapid acquisition of images that accurately identify and stage injury to the kidneys and other major organs. This review addresses clinical indications for imaging, injury classification and the subsequent management of renal trauma, focusing on the important role of the interventional radiology team, particularly in stopping life-threatening haemorrhage by transcatheter embolisation techniques.