Abstract: Objective  To quantitively assess the parameter alteration of renal blood flow in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN)  with the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS),and to  evaluate the value of the technique  in diagnosis of early renal function changes of DN patients.Methods
 40 diabetic patients were equally divided into two groups according to Mogensen’[KG-*3]s staging criteria: normal albuminuria group(group Ⅰ) and
early DN group(group Ⅱ);and 15 cases of healthy volunteers were used as control group (N group)(n=15).All subjects were performed renal CEUS perfusion imaging,and QontraXt image analysis software was applied to select the region of interest (ROI) in the renal cortex.Then the time intensity curve (TIC) and kidney blood perfusion parameters were collected.Results  The renal blood perfusion was clearly shown in real time CEUS;compared with N group,the time to peak (TTP),regional blood volume (RBV),and mean transit time (MTT) of the patients in group Ⅰ were increased,there were significant differences (P<0.05);but there were no significant differences of derived peak intensity (DPI ) and regional blood flow (RBF ) between two groups (P> 0.05).Compared with group Ⅰ and N group,the RBV,TTP and MTT of the patients were increased,the DPI and RBF were reduced in group Ⅱ,there were significant differences 0.05).Conclusion The CEUS technical analysis can be used in evaluating renal abnormality of the DN patients in early period by showing the changes of renal perfusion parameters.
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Key words: ultrasound examination, contrast agents, diabetic nephropathy, renal function