Nephrosonographic Measurement on Renal Function Evaluation in Canine Surgically Induced Unilateral Hydronephrosis

In order to evaluate the correlation between nephrosonographic measurement and renal function of a hydronephrotic kidney, unilateral hydronephrosis was surgically induced in 24 dogs by ligating their left ureters, Renal length, width, parenchymal thickness, cortical thickness and pelvic width of the left hydronephrotic kidney were sonographically measured on a kidney middorsal ultrasonographic image before and at 1-6 weeks after obstruction. The levels of urinary creatinine, urea nitrogen and potassium, and the clearances of these endogenous substances of the left hydronephrotic kidney were measured. Significant correlations (P ＜ 0.001) were observed between the nephrosonographic measurements, urinary component levels, and clearances of creatinine and urea nitrogen. This result revealed that the nephrosonographic measurement could be a useful method for assessing the degree of renal damage and function recovery potential of an unilateral hydronephrotic canine kidney.