Ultrasound Evaluation of Renal Artery Stenosis

Introduction Hypertension affects up to 65 million adults in the United States. A small subset of these patients have renovascular hypertension due to obstruction of the renal arteries. Fortunately, this type of hypertension can be corrected with treatment of the offending renal artery stenosis. Many hypertensive patients are referred for duplex ultrasound to screen for the presence of renal artery stenosis. While ultrasound imaging with Doppler analysis is a useful tool for evaluation of the renal arteries, it is often underused because it can be technically challenging and time-consuming. This article discusses methods to improve results through optimization of scanning technique, patient positioning and enhanced understanding of the technical aspects of the examination.