Cost analysis of procedures related to the management of renal artery stenosis from various perspectives

To determine the costs associated with the diagnostic work-up and percutaneous revascularization of renal artery stenosis from various perspectives. A prospective multicenter comparative study was conducted between 1998 and 2001. A total of 402 hypertensive patients with suspected renal artery stenosis were included. Costs were assessed of computed tomography angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), digital subtraction angiography (DSA), and percutaneous revascularization. From the societal perspective, DSA was the most costly (euro 1,721) and CTA the least costly diagnostic technique (euro 424). CTA was the least costly imaging procedure irrespective of the perspective used. The societal costs associated with percutaneous renal artery revascularization ranged from euro 2,680 to euro 6,172. Overall the radiology department incurred the largest proportion of the total societal costs. For the management of renal artery stenosis, performing the analysis from different perspectives leads to the same conclusion concerning the least costly diagnostic imaging and revascularization procedure.