Evaluation of living related kidney donors using digital subtraction angiography

ABSTRACT

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was incorporated into the initial radiographic evaluation of 51 potential living related kidney donors. Forty-nine patients underwent combined DSA and excretory urography, and 2 patients underwent staged studies. Each of the 51 patients also underwent nephrectomy to confirm the accuracy of the DSA images for identification of the number of renal vessels to the donor kidney. In the entire series, 35 donors (69%) had bilateral single renal arteries, and 16 donors (31%) had multiple vessels on at least one side. Six patients (11.7%) required the performance of standard catheter angiography due to inadequate DSA studies. Of the 45 patients who underwent DSA alone, 44 had a single renal artery as verified during surgery (accuracy rate, 98%). Thus, potential donors can be spared the risks of standard catheter angiography in most cases and can be fully evaluated on an outpatient basis.