POWER DOPPLER VERSUS COLOR DOPPLER IMAGING IN RENAL-ALLOGRAFT EVALUATION

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of PDS compared t o conventional CDI in the follow-up of 72 renal allograft patients. Re nal allograft vascularization, assessed by PDS and CDI, was scored fro m 0 to 4, where 0 was the cortical ''blush'' and 4 was residual centra l perfusion. These scores were correlated with the resistive index, se rum creatinine levels, hematocrit, and, in 35 cases, biopsy results. P DS scores of renal perfusion were one grade lower than CDI scores in 5 9 of 72 patients and. two grades lower in two of 72 patients. A statis tically significant correlation was found between PDS scores and the R I (r(2) = 0.6, P < 0.05). However, no significant correlation was foun d between PDS scores and creatinine levels or hematocrit values. PDS s cores are not related to histologic findings in renal allograft dysfun ction. Overall, five biopsy-related arteriovenous fistulas were detect ed, two of which were missed on the initial PDS examination. In conclu sion, PDS provides more complete visualization of the renal allograft vessel tree than CDI. However, biopsy-related arteriovenous fistulas a re better seen by CDI.