Artery supplying kidney; arises from abdominal aorta at L1 to L2
Expansion
Renal Artery
Purpose
Assess for stenosis (hypertension, ischaemic nephropathy), thrombosis, dissection
Clinical Context
Renal artery stenosis: atherosclerotic (older, smokers, aortic disease) or fibromuscular dysplasia (younger women). Duplex ultrasound shows peak systolic velocity greater than 180 centimetres per second equals severe stenosis.
Related Terms
- Renal vein
- Renovascular hypertension
Key Points
- Renal artery stenosis causes hypertension; atherosclerotic (90 percent) or fibromuscular dysplasia (10 percent); duplex ultrasound or computed tomography angiography confirms