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Doppler-Based Renal Resistive Index: A Comprehensive Review

  • Chapter
Yearbook of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2010

Part of the book series: Yearbook of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine ((YEARBOOK,volume 2010))

Abstract

Renal sonography is performed routinely to assess renal and collecting system morphology. B-mode sonography provides valuable information on anatomic features including kidney size (longitudinal diameter and parenchyma thickness) and appearance (kidney margins and echogenicity of the parenchyma, cortex, medulla, and papillae); presence and degree of hydronephrosis; and presence of stones, calcification, cysts, or solid masses. However, B-mode sonography does not evaluate kidney function. Renal Doppler, in contrast, helps to assess renal perfusion and renal function of native or transplanted kidneys (Fig. 1). Renal Doppler is valuable for assessing large arterial or venous abnormalities and has been suggested for evaluating changes in intrarenal perfusion due to diseases of the renal parenchyma [1–5]. The Doppler-based renal resistive index is a recently suggested tool for assessing changes in renal perfusion in critically ill patients [6–8] and for predicting acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with severe sepsis [9]. However, many factors influence the renal resistive index and should be taken into account when interpreting resistive index values in critically ill patients [10].

Example of an intrarenal arterial Doppler waveform

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Saint-Etienne University Hospital, Avenue Albert Raimond, 42270, Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, France

    M. Darmon & F. Zeni

  2. Medical Intensive Care Unit, Saint-Louis University Hospital, 1 Rue Claude Vellefaux, 75010, Paris, France

    D. Schnell

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  1. M. Darmon
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  2. D. Schnell
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Intensive Care Erasme Hospital, Université libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, B-1070, Brussels, Belgium

    Jean-Louis Vincent (Head) (Head)

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Darmon, M., Schnell, D., Zeni, F. (2010). Doppler-Based Renal Resistive Index: A Comprehensive Review. In: Vincent, JL. (eds) Yearbook of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2010. Yearbook of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, vol 2010. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-10286-8_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-10286-8_31

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