Ultrasonic characterization of acute renal failure.

The attenuation coefficient, propagation velocity and backscattering coefficient were measured in vitro, on freshly excised and functionally impaired rabbit kidneys. subcutaneous glycerol treatment was used to introduce acute renal failure. Elevated plasma creatinine levels, measured prior to the excision of kidneys, were used as an index of the degree of renal functional impairment. Propagation velocity for the ten kidneys ranged between 1538-1575 m/s with that for the normals being 1540 +/- 4 m/s. Velocity was found to increase with increasing renal damage. The attenuation coefficient for all ten kidneys exhibited a linear frequency dependence over the range 3.5-6.5 MHz. The slope of the attenuation coefficient for the glycerol treated kidneys (0.723 dB/cm/MHz) was found to be higher than the slope for the normals (0.499 dB/cm/MHz). The frequency dependence of the backscattering coefficient was not altered by glycerol treatment leading to the postulate that modification of frequency dependent behavior of the attenuation coefficient in this experimental model is primarily due to absorption.