Sonographic Measurement of Renal Dimensions and its Correlates with some Anthropometric Parameters in Healthy Adults in Zaria, Northwestern Nigeria
Measurement of renal dimensions is essential in making decisions for renal transplant, avoiding or commencement of immunosuppressive therapy, renal biopsy and in monitoring and prognosticating disease progression or stability.The present study was designed to establish normative baseline renal size data of adults’ Nigerian population in Zaria, and also to determine its correlation with height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and body surface area (BSA).This prospective study was conducted in the Department of Radiology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria between January and August 2016. Four hundred apparently healthy young adults (200 males and 200 females) resident in Zaria who gave their informed consent were randomly selected and recruited for the study. The ethical permit was obtained from the Ethical Committee of the Hospital. The longitudinal length and width of the right and left kidneys were measured. In addition, the age, sex, height (Ht), weight (Wt), BMI, and BSA of the subjects were recorded. All renal scans were done with a Mindray diagnostic ultrasound system (Model DC-3, 2010/2012, Nanshan, Shenzen, PR China) plus 2.5-6 MHZ curvilinear probe. The mean age was 22.41±3.35 years. The mean right and left kidney lengths were 9.94±0.70 cm and 10.28±0.80 cm respectively. The mean kidney width was 3.96 ± 0.36 cm and 4.33 ± 0.51 cm for right and left kidney, respectively. There was no significant sexual dimorphism in the renal dimensions (p>0.05). The left kidney length and width were significantly greater than the right kidney (p<0.05). Renal measurements were significantly correlated with the subject’s Ht, Wt, BMI, and BSA (p< 0.05).The strongest correlation was seen between weight and right kidney width (r=0.195). Normal valuable baseline renal nomorgram have been established for the study population taking into cognizance the body parameters.
Key Words: Sonography, Measurements, kidney dimensions, Zaria