Abstract:
Purpose. Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is responsible for 1 - 5% of hypertensive diseases. So far scintigraphy was considered as gold standard for investigation of renal perfusion in patients with RAS. MRI is a non-toxic and non-invasive method and is capable to measure blood flow in patients with RAS. This study investigates how far MRI blood flow measurements without contrast medium can help to detect RAS in comparison to renal scintigraphy.
Methods. Total number of patients: 19. The blood flow in the renal arteries of 13 patients with hypertension and RAS (age 46 - 71 years) and 6 patients with hypertension but without RAS (age 29 - 63 years) was measured with MRI (MRI-blood flow). In addition 12 patients with RAS were examined by renal scintigraphy without captopril. By this the Technetium-99m-MAG-3-clearance and the effective renal blood flow (ERB) of each kidney was evaluated. The results of MRI-blood flow, MAG3-clearance and ERB were correlated and analysed for significances between RAS-group 1 (RAS = 0 - 29%, n = 21), RAS-group 2 (RAS = 30 - 69%, n = 8) and RAS-group 3 (RAS = 70 - 100%, n = 6). The precision of MRI-blood flow, ERB and MAG3-clearance for detection of RAS > / = 70% was evaluated by using a ROC table. The influence especially of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-2-receptor antagonists and chronic renal failure (n = 6 patients) was analysed. Also the influence of age, antihypertensive drugs, blood pressure, kidney size, resistence indices, intima-media-thickness of the carotid arteries, activity of renin, concentration of aldosterone and creatinine in blood, creatinine-clearance and concentration of protein in 24h-urine was evaluated by comparing the results of patients with RAS > / = 70% (n = 6) and patients without RAS (n = 6).
Results. MRI-blood flow: 48 - 722 ml/min/1,73 m2; MAG3-clearance: 10 - 134 ml/min/1,73 m2; ERB: 26 - 397,4 ml/min/1,73 m2. The mean MRI-blood flow was significantly higher for RAS-group 3 than for RAS-group 1. Without chronic renal failure a significant difference between the mean blood flow of RAS-group 2 and RAS-group 1 was found. No significances for ERB and MAG3-clearance. Without chronic renal failure also a higher mean MRI-blood flow, mean ERB and mean MAG3-clearance was found. Coefficient of correlation: MRI-blood flow and MAG3-clearance: 0,37; MRI-blood flow and ERB: 0,34; MRI-blood flow (%) and ERB (%) separated for both sides of the body: 0,72. Precision for detection of RAS > / = 70%: MRI-blood flow: 89,7%; MAG3-clearance: 78,6%; ERB: 77%. Without renal failure: MRI-blood flow: 93,9%; MAG3-clearance: 91,7%; ERB: 91,7%. No significant influence of age, antihypertensive drugs, blood pressure, kidney size, resistence indices, intima-media-thickness of the carotid arteries, activity of renin, concentration of aldosterone and creatinine in blood, creatinine-clearance and concentration of protein in 24h-urine on the results.
Conclusion. In this study blood flow measurement in patients with RAS by MRI was very capable to detect RAS and appeared to be even superior to renal scintigraphy. RAS > / = 70% could be detected with higher precision and with significance. Chronic renal failure can influence the results and should be considered during diagnostics for detection of RAS.