Diagnosis of extrarenal arteriovenous fistula by color Doppler flow imaging

Pulsed Doppler ultrasonography has been applied to various renal vascular l esions to diagnose renal artery stenosis, renal arterial aneurysm, renal ve in thrombosis, and renal arteriovenous fistula (AVF) caused by biopsy or in jury.(1-10) It is useful for detecting vascular lesions noninvasively and s imply. Arteriovenous fistula between major abdominal vessels is an uncommon entity that occurs usually between the abdominal aorta and the inferior ve na cava. Arteriovenous fistula involving the extrarenal vessels has until r ecently been considered rare. Current methods of detection used for diagnos ing this condition include physical examination, arteriography, intravenous digital subtraction angiography, ultrasonography, computed tomography, mag netic resonance imaging, and surgical exploration. In this report, we described a case of extrarenal renal AVF that was diagno sed on the basis of color Doppler flow imaging and confirmed by digital sub traction angiography and at surgery afterward.