Clinico-radiological correlation of nutcracker syndrome: a single centre experience.

The term nutcracker syndrome (NS) refers to the compression of left renal vein between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) causing renal venous hypertension. The symptoms vary from asymptomatic hematuria to severe pelvic congestion. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with NS and the correlation between clinical and laboratory findings with Doppler sonographic measurements. Sixty-three patients were evaluated (19 boys and 44 girls) since January 2004 to January 2014. The mean age of the patients was 12.21 ± 3.21 years (range 7-17). Hematuria and proteinuria disappeared during the follow up of 9/63 patients. These nine patients showed statistically significant difference in upright SMA angles (p= 0.035). Doppler sonographic evaluation is a non-invasive method for diagnosis NS. Upright SMA angle measurement is more efficient than supine SMA angle measurement on clinicoradiological correlation.