Ultrasound Evaluation of Renal Measurements in Type 1 Diabetes Patients: Impact of Disease Duration

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Elrashed AbdElrahim, Raghad Jemeen Al-Malki, Rehab Ali Al-Kathiri, Jana Awad Al-Thobaity, Shahad Abdullah Al-Kaabi, Ibtihal Saud Al-Withainani, Mona Elhaj, Bahaaedin A. Elkhader, Hamid Osman

 
For citation: AbdElrahim E, Al-Malki RJ, Al-Kathiri RA, Al-Thobaity JA, Al-Kaabi SA, Al-Withainani IS, Elkhader ME, Osman BAH. Ultrasound Evaluation of Renal Measurements in Type 1 Diabetes Patients: Impact of Disease Duration. International Journal of Biomedicine. 2026;16(2):197-200. doi:10.21103/Article16(2)_OA6
 
Originally published June 5, 2026

Abstract: 

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder associated with progressive renal complications, often leading to diabetic nephropathy. Early detection of renal morphological changes is essential for prevention and management. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of T1DM duration on renal size and morphology using ultrasound, with a focus on kidney length, width, thickness, and cortical characteristics.
Methods and Results: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 94 patients with T1DM in Taif, Saudi Arabia, between November 2024 and May 2025. Patients of both sexes, aged 1–70 years, underwent renal ultrasound in accordance with standard hospital protocols. Kidney dimensions (length, width, thickness) and cortical echogenicity were measured and compared across different disease durations and age groups.
Slight renal enlargement was observed in 73.7% of patients, predominantly in younger age groups (10–20 years), while 26.3% demonstrated slight renal atrophy, more frequent among older patients. The length and width of the kidneys gradually decreased 10 years after disease onset, reflecting progressive loss of parenchyma. The duration of longer diabetes appears to increase the likelihood of kidney atrophy, especially in older patients.
Conclusion: Ultrasound is a non-invasive and effective tool for monitoring renal morphological changes in patients with T1DM. Early-stage kidney hypertrophy trend appears to progress toward atrophy with longer disease duration, especially in older patients. underscoring the importance of routine renal monitoring to identify early diabetic nephropathy and guide timely intervention.

Keywords: 
ultrasound • kidney dimensions • type 1 diabetes mellitus
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Received April 15, 2026.
Accepted May 25, 2026.
© 2026 The Author(s). International Journal of Biomedicine is published by IMRDC.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.