The purposes of this pictorial essay are as follows: (1) Review a systematic approach to using sonography in the initial evaluation of patients with acute arm swelling and permanent dialysis access. (2) Identify normal grayscale and Doppler findings in arteriovenous fistulas and grafts. (3) Discuss a spectrum of vascular differential diagnoses for arm swelling in this setting, including stenosis of the access, draining vein complications, thrombosis, steal syndrome, and aneurysms, as well as several nonvascular causes. (4) Recognize findings that warrant further imaging evaluation or intervention.
Keywords: access; arm swelling; fistula; graft; hemodialysis; sonography; vascular ultrasound.
© 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.