Renal Artery Duplex

Renal arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to the kidneys. Damage, blockage or narrowing of these arteries may lead to hypertension or kidney failure. The blockage of the renal arteries can be diagnosed with a renal artery duplex procedure. This is an ultrasound technique which helps to assess blood flow in the vessels by producing real-time images using sound waves.Duplex ultrasound is a process which combines regular ultrasound (produces images of the organs) and Doppler ultrasound (produces images of blood flow through the blood vessels) to view abnormalities in the blood vessels that affect the flow of blood.

The duplex ultrasound device consists of a transducer, which emits sound waves. Your doctor will ask you to lie on a table and apply a gel which helps in sound wave transmission. Your doctor will then move the transducer over your abdomen to capture images of the arteries. The images are examined by your doctor for abnormalities or narrowing of arteries. This procedure takes about 30 minutes and does not involve any complications. You will be able to return to your normal activities immediately after the procedure.