ROLE OF RENAL DOPPLER STUDY IN ACUTE GRAFT REJECTION IN POST RENAL TRANSPLANT PATIENTS

Praveenkumar R., Manoj T. Pillai*, Jayasree Leelamma, Anjali S. and Rakul Nambiar K.

ABSTRACT

Acute graft rejection is one of the common complications in the early renal transplant period. Early diagnosis and treatment plays an important role in the graft success and survival. Aim: To study the role of renal Doppler in predicting acute graft rejection in renal transplant patient and to compare with histopathological examination of the renal biopsy. Methodology: 80 post renal transplant patients in the first three months of transplantation were included in the study. Doppler imaging of the transplant kidney was done using color and spectral Doppler. Cut-off values were obtained from receiver operator curve for Resistive Index and Pulsatility Index values. Results: Using the cut-off of 0.69 for RI and 1.42 for PI, the sensitivity of the test is 85% and 75% respectively but with reduced specificity. Conclusion: Doppler imaging is not a helpful tool for differentiating acute graft rejection from other parenchymal complications, but it is a sensitive non invasive modality in predicting graft rejection among transplant patients.

Keywords: Doppler, Resistive index, Pulsatility Index, renal transplant, graft rejection.