Accuracy of Computed Tomographic Angiography and Magnetic Resonance Angiography for Diagnosing Renal Artery Stenosis

Tre authors conducted a orospect.ve multicenter comparative studs from 1998 to 2001 to determine the validity of comput- ed tomographic angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (CVRA) compared with digital subtraction angiog- raphy (DSA) for the detection of renal artery stenosis, a po- tential y curable cause cf hypertension and renal Impairment. A grrup of 356 hypertensive patients with suspected renal arter, underwent the three diagnostic tests, and two panels of three observers evaluated the results. Variables used to evaluate diagnostic performance included sensitivity and spec interobserver agreement was also calculated. A stenoses of 50%, or greater was considered clinically relevant and was found in 20'- of patients who had all three tests. interobserver agreement was moderate, and the combined sensitiv Ah and specificity were 649% and 92% for CTA and 62t and 840 for vIRA. The authors concluded tha: CTA and MERA are not reproducible or sensitive enough to rule out renal arterv stenosis. DSA remains the diagnostic method of choice.