Echographic monitoring of 80 renal transplants. Critical analysis of signs of graft rejection

: In a period of one year and a half, the follow-up of 80 patients after renal transplant has been monitored with echography. Altogether were made 418 echographies, which later were correlated with the clinical conditions of the patients at the moment of each echography. As rejection represents the most important complication, care was particularly given to the possibility of sonographic identification of such pathology. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of each echographic sign in the diagnosis of rejection were evaluated. The absent or reduced renal sinus (sensitivity 63%) and hyperechogenicity of the cortical parenchyma (sensitivity 50%) resulted the most important signs in the diagnosis of rejection, while the increase of renal volume and the increased hypoechogenic pyramids resulted less reliable. The combination of three or more signs proved to be particularly significant.