Preoperative Reno-vascular Evaluation of Living Renal Donors with Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Angiography

Moon, Hyung Yoon; So, Young Seog; Kim, Chul Sung

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) in the visualization of the renovascular anatomy for the preoperative evaluation of living renal donors.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirty-one consecutive potential living renal donors were investigated. Ten patients underwent both digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and CE-MRA, and twenty-one underwent CE-MRA alone before the donor nephrectomy. The intraoperative findings on the number of renal vessels were compared with those of the DSA and CE-MRA.
RESULTS
DSA and CE-MRA showed 100% agreement in identifying the main renal arteries, accessory renal artery, and renal veins before surgery. In the DSA and CE-MRA group (n=10), the accuracy relative to the intraoperative findings was 92.3% (12/13) for the renal artery and 100% (10/10) for the renal vein. In the CE-MRA alone group (n=21), 93.3% (28/30) accuracy was shown for the renal artery and 91.3% (21/23) for the renal vein compared with the intraoperative findings.
CONCLUSIONS
CE-MRA showed similar agreement and accuracy to DSA. As a minimally invasive technique, CE-MRA has the potential to replace DSA.