A renal angiogram is the definitive diagnostic test for renal artery stenosis. It is an invasive procedure and is justified only in patients for whom there is a high level of suspicion of renal artery stenosis. Non-invasive screening procedures such as a captopril renal scan or renal Doppler study should ideally be performed first.
During a renal angiogram, corrective procedures for renal artery stenosis may be done, such as angioplasty and stenting. As the level of suspicion for renal artery stenosis is low for this patient, this procedure was not performed.