ABSTRACT
Purpose To investigate the value of real-time three-dimensional contrast-enhanced ultrasound (RT3D-CEUS) for the evaluation of blunt renal trauma hemorrhage. Materials and Methods Nine healthy New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups, and after heparinization, the models of ongoing hemorrhage of blunt renal trauma were developed by self-made minitype striker in the three groups with different force levels:77.2 N (group A), 106.2 N (group B), 135.1 N (group C). All rabbits were performed ultrasonography (US), color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) and RT3D-CEUS before and after strike (within 20 minutes). The results achieved by US, CDFI, 2D-CEUS (A-plane results in RT3D-CEUS) and RT3D-CEUS were compared with each other, and further compared with the pathological results of the executed animals after blood pressure decreased lower than 40 mmHg. Results All rabbits showed traumatic renal lesions and it proved that the bigger the force the heavier the injury (group A: 1 case of levelⅠ, 2 cases of levelⅡ;group B:3 cases of levelⅢ;group C:1 case of levelⅢ, 2 cases of level Ⅳ ). After strike, US identified the presence of increasing hematoma under the capsule but could not detect active bleeding. In CDFI, only 1 case was detected ongoing hemorrhage. 2D-CEUS clearly presented the bleeding in all cases. RT3D-CEUS presented a vivid real-time and stereoscopical image of active hemorrhage in all cases and also showed that the wider the bleeding area was shorter than the shock duration time. Conclusion RT3D-CEUS can present a real-time dynamic bleeding and locate headstream of blood in renal trauma vividly and stereoscopically, and can be used to preliminarily evaluate the degree of ongoing hemorrhage in traumatic kidney.