THE WELL-FUNCTIONING RENAL GRAFT EVALUATED BY COLOR DOPPLER FLOWMETRY

The value of color Doppler ultrasound in the renal transplant follow-u p has been evaluated. To do so we used a standardized protocol of anal ysis on a group of 86 outpatients with different transplant ages and a good and stable graft function defined as a plasma creatinine level < 105 mu M/l. Renal volume increased after transplantation and averaged 198 +/- 54 cm(3). The graft volume was positively related to the trans plant age (p = 0.04). Mean renal blood flow/1.73 m(2) body surface are a was 301 +/- 98 ml/min, a value at the lower limit of normality. A st atistical inverse relationship between renal blood flow and transplant age was found (p = 0.04). Renal vascular resistances increased along with the transplant age (p = 0.003). Renal function evaluated by creat inine plasma levels and creatinine clearance values did not show any s tatistical correlation with color Doppler findings in normal grafts. I n conclusion, ultrasound measures allow us to obtain more sensitive in formation about the graft status and might be used for a better evalua tion of the transplant follow-up.