OBJECTIVE: To examine the diagnostic value of novel velocimetric colour duplex sonography indices in the screening of renal artery stenosis (RAS). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all consecutively studied patients at our centre with suspected RAS, and a colour duplex sonography carried out at less than 4 months (mean 34 days) before renal angiography during a 6-year period (2002-2007). A significant RAS was defined as an at least 60% stenosis on angiography or a transstenotic mean arterial pressure gradient of at least 10 mmHg or both. RESULTS: In a total of 169 patients, 111 stenotic and 206 nonstenotic kidneys were examined. The sensitivity and specificity for acceleration of blood flow in early systole (ACCmax) were 85 and 75%, respectively, and for the acceleration index (ACCmax/peak systolic velocity, AImax) 83 and 79%, respectively. Corresponding values in patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate of less than 30 ml/min/1.73 m2 were 90 and 73% (for ACCmax) and 74 and 88% (for AImax). In addition, the transstenotic mean arterial pressure gradient showed a significant, though weak, negative correlation to ACCmax (r = -0.26, P = 0.02) and AImax (r = -0.29, P = 0.01) in stenotic kidneys. CONCLUSION: ACCmax and AImax provide similar, good diagnostic accuracy in the detection of a haemodynamically significant RAS, even in patients with markedly reduced glomerular filtration rate. Presumably, the lack of superiority of the novel index AImax could be explained by a highly homogenous methodological approach in the present single-centre study.