BACKGROUND: Transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS) is the major vascular complication associated to adverse events in patients with kidney grafts, whose incidence ranges from 1% to 23%. Angiography is the gold-standard for diagnosis, enabling immediate treatment; however, due to the variable anatomy and location of anastomosis, additional projections are often required, leading to greater exposure to contrast medium and radiation. Tridimensional rotational angiography (3D-RA) appears as a tool for diagnosis and treatment of TRAS. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the accuracy of measurements obtained by 3D-RA in comparison to conventional angiography. METHODS: From April, 2010 to January, 2011, 41 3D-RAs were performed in patients with clinical suspicion of TRAS. Images were analyzed by independent observers; conventional angiography measurements were obtained online and 3D-RA measurements were obtained offline with the Philips Allure 3D-RA software. RESULTS: Thirty-five 3D-RAs (84%) were considered adequate for angiographic measurements, and 20% provided additional and relevant information for the therapeutic strategy. There was no statistically significant difference between measurements obtained from the reference diameter and minimal luminal diameter of the artery using 3D-RA and conventional angiography. In addition, there was a strong correlation between them CONCLUSIONS: 3D-RA comes up as a useful tool for TRAS diagnosis, providing accurate measurements and complementary and relevant information for the diagnosis and treatment, in addition to potentially reducing procedure time and exposure to contrast and radiation.
Angiography; Kidney transplantation; Renal artery obstruction
