Quantitative analysis of renal vascularization in fetuses with urinary tract obstruction by three-dimensional power-Doppler

Objective: To evaluate the applicability of 3-dimensional evaluation of renal vascularization for predicting postnatal renal function in fetuses with suspected urinary obstruction. Study Design: Fetuses were evaluated by 3-dimensional power-Doppler histogram, and vascular indices were estimated. Depth between the probe and the renal cortex was also evaluated. Postnatal follow-up was obtained in all cases and the main outcome was renal impairment. Results: Twenty-three fetuses with urinary dilatation (cases) and 73 with normal renal morphology (controls) were included in the current study. Five (21.7%) cases developed renal impairment. Vascularization index and vascularization and flow index were significantly lower in fetuses that developed renal impairment compared with those with normal renal function (P =.009 and P =.036, respectively). The 3 vascular indexes correlated with depth. Percentage of depth-corrected vascularization index and vascularization flow index were lower in fetuses developing postnatal renal failure. Conclusion: Fetal renal vascularity (vascularization index and vascularization and flow index) was significantly lower in fetuses that developed renal impairment.