China: Researchers have found that ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) may be useful for early diagnosis of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). The study was published in the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine (JUM).
The goal of this study is to detect hemodynamic changes in microvessels in the early stages of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and to assess the feasibility of ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) in DKD early detection.

The study used a rat model of diabetic kidney disease induced by streptozotocin. Conventional ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, and ULM were used to collect and analyze data. The kidney cortex was divided into four segments, and the blood flow velocities of arteries and veins were separately calculated and compared using the Mann-Whitney U test.
The study revealed the following clinical findings:
1. ULM detected lower arterial velocity in segments 2, 3, and 4 in DKD rats compared to normal rats.
2. Overall mean arterial velocity was also lower in DKD rats.
3. Venous velocity of segment 3 and overall mean venous velocity was higher in DKD rats.
4. Arterial velocity gradient was lower in DKD rats compared to normal rats.
The findings of this study suggest that ULM may be a non-invasive and feasible approach to early DKD diagnosis. Further studies are needed to validate these findings in humans, but this research could pave the way for the development of new diagnostic tools and treatment strategies for DKD.
The researchers added that “The study shows promising results in the use of ULM for the early detection of DKD. With further research and validation, this technique may become a valuable tool for clinicians in the fight against DKD and its associated complications.”
Reference:
Zhang H., Huang L., Yang Y., Qui L., He Q., Liu J., Qian L., Luo J.; Evaluation of Early Diabetic Kidney Disease Using Ultrasound Localization Microscopy; Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine (JUM); 2023; doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/jum.16249