DOPPLER SONOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENT OF PHASIC RENAL-ARTERY BLOOD-FLOW VELOCITY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

The phasic arterial blood flow velocity at the renal hilus was measure d by Doppler sonography in 25 healthy subjects and 78 patients with ch ronic glomerulonephritis. Doppler velocity waveform was analyzed to gi ve peak systolic velocity (S), end-diastolic velocity (D), resistive i ndex (RI), and pulsatility index (PI). Creatinine clearance correlated with S (r = 0.76), D (r = 0.80), RI (r = -0.74), and PI (r = -0.85). Color Doppler sonography facilitated the detection of blood flow and p ermitted the measurement of absolute blood flow velocity, which previo usly had been difficult to determine. These results suggest that renal arterial blood flow as detected by Doppler ultrasonography may be use ful for noninvasive, direct, rapid, and simple evaluation of renal fun ction, although various modifying factors also need to be considered.