Kidney transplantation is the surgical placement of a healthy kidney from a living or deceased donor into a patient with end-stage renal disease. The transplanted kidney is typically placed in the iliac fossa, lower in the abdomen than the native kidneys. Ultrasound plays a vital role throughout the transplant process: preoperatively to evaluate the donor kidney and recipient vessels, immediately postoperatively to confirm blood flow to the new kidney, and in ongoing surveillance to monitor graft function and detect complications. Doppler evaluation of the transplant renal artery, vein, and intrarenal vessels is critical for detecting rejection, renal artery stenosis, renal vein thrombosis, and peritransplant fluid collections.
Sonography Term