I. Baumgartner et al., A validation study on the intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of renal artery duplex ultrasound, ULTRASOUN M, 25(2), 1999, pp. 225-231
Aim of the present study was to evaluate intraobserver and interobserver re
producibility of direct renal artery Doppler velocimetry. Healthy volunteer
s were evaluated by one examiner on three separate occasions and by three d
ifferent examiners in a single day. Peak systolic velocities of the aorta (
PSV.Ao) and proximal renal arteries (PSV.RA) were taken at an optimal angle
below 60 degrees. The renal-to-aortic ratio (RAR) was calculated dividing
PSV.RA by PSV.Ao. Mean values +/-2 SD were 85 +/- 34 (49-150) cm/s for the
PSV.RA, 38 +/- 20 (0-60 degrees) for the Doppler angle of insonation, 102 /- 37 (63-153) cm/s for the PSV/Ao, and 0.85 +/- 0.41 (0.49-1.58) for the R
AR. Correlation coefficients and coefficient of variation were 0.64-0.82/7.
8%-10.1% (PSV.RA), 0.75-0.82/9.9%-13.8% (RAR) for intraobserver evaluations
; and 0.79-0.80/7.7%-12.5% (PSV-RA), 0.65- 0.78/9.5%-12.3% (RAR) for intero
bserver evaluations. Reliable results of direct renal artery Doppler veloci
metry confirm clinical applicability and suitability for repeated measureme
nts after catheter-based interventions or surveillance of low-grade stenose
s, (C) 1999 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.