Shear Wave Elastography in Differentiating Acute or Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease is a common global public health issue and its prevalence increased year by year. Early diagnosis and intervention can prevent further complications and comorbidities of long-term dialysis, cardiovascular events and mortality as well as improve the patients' life quality. To differentiate acute from chronic kidney disease was crucial especially in the setting of crowded and high-risk emergency department. To diagnose acute or chronic kidney disease, physicians usually use blood sample test combined with image studies such as conventional sonography, CT and MRI. However, there was lots of limited factors. The patients may have no previous visit records, poor renal function to receive contrast medium, or critical clinical condition to undergo time-wasting exam. Although the conventional renal sonography is accessible and inexpensive, the judgement is subjective and provide little clinical information. Recent researches of shear wave elastography in evaluating renal parenchymal stiffness showed some correlation with nephropathy. In our study, aiming to facilitating clinical implication, the investigators will use swear-wave elastography combined with conventional renal sonography to benefit patients in diagnosis of acute or chronic kidney disease.