Objective:

To evaluate the progression of renal diseases across different stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) using a combination of conventional ultrasonography and point shear wave elastography (pSWE), highlighting the importance of this integrated approach.

Key Findings:

• Renal elasticity values increased progressively from CKD stage 1 to stage 5 hemodialysis patients (p < 0.001), indicating worsening renal function.
• pSWE-derived elasticity values differed significantly among renal disease etiologies (p < 0.001), suggesting varying stiffness characteristics based on underlying pathology.

Interpretation:

pSWE can non-invasively and quantitatively detect changes in renal tissue stiffness, serving as a valuable imaging biomarker for differentiating various pathological types and phenotypes of renal diseases.

Limitations:

• Single-center study may limit generalizability.
• Operator dependence of pSWE may affect accuracy, and potential biases inherent in retrospective studies should be considered.

Conclusion:

The study supports the integrated use of pSWE with grayscale ultrasound and Doppler for comprehensive renal evaluation, which can assist clinical decision-making and reduce unnecessary renal biopsies, ultimately improving patient outcomes.