Renal ultrasound

Abstract

A foundational aspect of the relationship that a physician has with an individual patient is the coordination of diagnostic testing with an informed discussion about the patient's health concerns. The performance of a point-of-care renal ultrasound by the urologist builds on that foundation and is very likely to improve patient satisfaction while reducing the complexity of the patient's path through illness. The ultrasound technology that is currently available provides a urologist with a plethora of diagnostic options that can speed up the time to diagnosis and allow for more targeted treatments. This chapter is designed to explore current information regarding the urologic applications of renal ultrasound and to provide a description for the interested urologic practitioner in the technique for performing a renal ultrasound. It is likely that some modifications in the office setting for a urologist will be necessary in order to implement renal ultrasound at the time of a physical examination. These modifications are described in the following chapter. Additionally, examples of pertinent indications for point-of-care renal ultrasound are provided for the more common urologic conditions. It should be apparent that ultrasound can extend the urologic physical examination to such a degree that the overall value of the encounter to the patient is likely to be enhanced. Ultrasound can reduce unnecessary radiation exposure, help streamline downstream testing, and even provide a vehicle for more targeted interventions and procedures.