Just as for the carotid arteries, CTA offers a non-invasive method for evaluation of renal artery stenosis. High resolution and the ability to assess plaque morphology help distinguish the exact type of stenosis, as well as assessing the degree of lesion calcification.
CTA can better visualize tiny accessory arteries and evaluate the ureters on a delayed phase. Patients with abrupt onset or worsening hypertension, hypertension refractory to treatment, severe hypertension in a smoker, diabetic or patients with known chronic kidney disease and vascular arterial disease elsewhere are candidates for a renal CTA study. Identifying the presence of renal artery stenosis early in its course is important to prevent progression of kidney failure by revascularization in appropriate patients.
Our new 64-slice CT can quickly assess the entire peripheral arterial circulation with extremely high resolution. Small collateral branches are readily seen. Soft plaque and lesion calcification can also be evaluated. The 64-slice CT scanner can easily image from the iliac arteries to the feet with sub-millimeter resolution that is optimal for the evaluation of small distal arteries and collateral branches.