Hippuran I-131 renography and clearance measurements used for determination of the individual kidney function

Renin-dependent hypertension in patients with unilateral kidney disease not caused by renal artery stenosis

The practical value of renin secretion studies in hypertension associated with unilateral kidney disease, other than renal artery stenosis, has not been documented. This study, comprising 19 patients of this kind, disclosed three who had an abnormal renin secretion from the diseased kidney. The level of peripheral renin under basal conditions, and the change from this level as a result of provocation of renin secretion, were used to evaluate the importance of an arteriovenous renin gradient in the diseased kidney. The three patients were the only ones to become normotensive when the diseased kidney was removed in seven of the cases studied. When nephrectomy is considered in severe hypertension with unilateral kidney disease, there is a place for renin secretion studies, but a screening procedure is advisable. Measuring peripheral renin under basal conditions and after provocation of renin secretion, should reveal whether the renin-angiotensin system might be playing a part in maintaining the high BP. The finding of diminishing kidney function in many of the patients, despite good BP control, emphasizes the importance of sparing kidney function whenever possible.

Renovascular hypertension identified by captopril-induced changes in the renogram

Radioisotope renography was performed in 21 patients with hypertension and unilateral renal artery stenosis with and without premedication with 25 mg of captopril, and the results were compared with the effect of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty on the blood pressure, assessed 6 weeks after angioplasty. Angioplasty caused a considerable decrease in blood pressure in 15 of the 21 patients. In 12 of these 15 patients, captopril induced changes in the time-activity curves of the affected kidney only, suggesting deterioration of the excretory function of that kidney, while the function of the contralateral kidney remained normal. After angioplasty the asymmetry in the time-activity curves diminished despite identical pretreatment with captopril. Such captopril-induced unilateral impairment of the renal function was not seen in the six patients with unilateral renal artery stenosis whose blood pressure did not change after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty or in 13 patients with hypertension and normal renal arteries. The functional impairment of the affected kidneys was characterized by a decrease of 99mTc-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid uptake and a delay of 131I-hippurate excretion, while the 131I-hippurate uptake remained unaffected. These data are in agreement with a reduced glomerular filtration rate and diuresis during preservation of the renal blood flow, changes that can be expected after converting enzyme inhibition in a kidney with low perfusion and an active, renin-mediated autoregulation of the glomerular filtration rate. These data suggest that functional captopril-induced unilateral changes, shown by split renal function studies with noninvasive gamma camera scintigraphy, can be used as a diagnostic test for renovascular hypertension caused by unilateral renal artery stenosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Treatment of renovascular hypertension by unilateral nephrectomy. A follow-up study in patients above 60 years of age

The long term results of surgical intervention in 26 elderly patients with renovascular hypertension are presented. All patients were above 60 years of age at the day of operation. The majority of the patients had atherosclerotic renovascular disease with only one case of fibromuscular dysplasia. Several patients had severe extrarenal atherosclerotic disease. The diagnosis of renovascular hypertension was based upon the results of isotope renography, renal arteriography and renal vein catheterization. All patients underwent unilateral nephrectomy. Notably, no deaths or complications occurred in relation to surgery. At the follow-up study, blood pressure was lowered and the requirement for antihypertensive drugs reduced in 86% of the patients. We conclude that unilateral nephrectomy in elderly high risk patients with renovascular hypertension is a safe and efficient procedure.

99mTc-DTPA gamma-camera renography: normal values and rapid determination of single-kidney glomerular filtration rate

A method for 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA) gamma-camera renography is presented. From each renogram, an uptake index (UI) proportional to the single-kidney glomerular filtration rate (SKGFR) is defined. If the proportionality factor between UI and SKGFR is the same in all patients, UI can be used as an accurate measure of SKGFR. In order to test this, 99mTc-DTPA renography was performed in 101 patients with glomerular filtration rates (GFR) varying between 4 and 172 ml/min. The sum of the right- and left-kidney UIs correlated well with the total GFR calculated from the simultaneously measured plasma clearance of 99mTc-DTPA after a single injection. The correlation coefficient was 0.97. The method was tested in a prospective study of 57 patients. The total GFR estimated from the renograms was not significantly different from the GFR calculated from the plasma clearance of 99mTc-DTPA. The coefficient of variation--a combination of inaccuracy and imprecision in the estimates as well as in the reference values-was 11.8% at a GFR of 100 ml/min. It is concluded that, in adults, the SKGFR can be calculated as part of the clinical routine from 99mTc-DTPA gamma-camera renography without determining the injected dose or collecting urine or blood samples. Normal values for some parameters of the renogram obtained in 25 normal subjects are given.

Assessment of total and divided renal plasma flow by 123I-hippuran renography

We studied 23 patients with suspected renal hypertension, including 12 with renal artery stenosis, or occlusion. Total effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) was measured in all patients by conventional p-aminohippurate (PAH) clearance and by 123I-hippuran clearance performed on the same day. A close correlation between the two techniques was obtained (r = 0.87, P less than 0.001) with the latter technique underestimating the former by a mean ratio of 0.89:1.00. We describe a technique for deriving ERPF for individual kidneys by 123I-hippuran renography, and the data obtained by this method correlate well with data obtained from bilateral ureteric catheterization studies (r = 0.076, P less than 0.001 for both affected and unaffected sides) in 17 patients. The renographic technique is particularly accurate in quantitating ERPF in the 12 patients with renal artery stenosis, and is recommended as the investigation of choice in the assessment of ERPF in patients with this condition.

Evaluation of unilateral kidney function in children. A comparison between renography and separate clearance

Unilateral kidney function in children was evaluated by determination of 51Cr-EDTA-clearance combined with estimation of side distribution of kidney function by renography. As reference, separate clearance of 51Cr-EDTA, determined by sequential external ureteral occlusions on both sides, was used. A comparison between these two methods was made in 28 patients with varying degrees of unilateral kidney function impairment. A significant correlation was found when the renograms were corrected for extrarenal background activity. Thus, renography in combination with determination of the glomerular filtration rate with 51Cr-EDTA is a valuable method for evaluating separate kidney function in children, both methods being easily performed and requiring small radiation doses.

Predictive value of radionuclide methods in the diagnosis of unilateral renovascular hypertension

The validity of noninvasive (iodine-131 iodohippurate renogram, iodine-131 ortho-iodohippurate clearance, indium-113m EDTA--technetium-99m DTPA sequential renal scan) and invasive (xenon-133 washout) radionuclide screening tests was evaluated in the diagnosis of 105 patients with unilateral renovascular hypertension (RVH) and in 45 patients with essential hypertension (EH). In RVH positive findings on the stenosed side were noted in 73% of renograms, 73% of o-iodohippurate-clearance tests (N = 22), 81% of sequential renal scans, and 90% of xenon-washout studies (N = 67). In a subgroup of 55 retrospectively selected patients with normal or improved blood pressure following renovascular surgery, the preoperative findings had been positive on the stenosed side in 78% of renograms, 75% of o-iodohippurate-clearance tests (n = 20), 85% of sequential renal scans, and 93% of xenon-washout studies (n = 23). The sequential renal scan appears to be a sufficiently reliable method in noninvasive screening for unilateral RVH, although invasive xenon-washout studies show a higher percentage of hemodynamic alterations in the stenosed kidney. o-iodohippurate clearance tests, and in particular xenon-washout studies, can reveal arteriosclerotic lesions in the contralateral, non-stenosed kidney, which may be of importance when the decision for renovascular surgery is pending.

Radionuclide kidney function evaluation in the management of urolithiasis

Renal and ureteral stones may cause asymmetrical renal damage that is not measured accurately by serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen studies, excretory urography, nephrotomography and arteriography. We evaluated with a renal scintillation camera study 77 patients who had renal or ureteral calculi. The radionuclide procedure provided an accurate measure of total effective renal plasma flow and differential effective renal plasma flow. It had the additional advantages of being a non-invasive procedure, causing no allergic reactions, requiring no patient preparation and producing low radiation exposure.

The importance of the urine flow rate in semi-quantitative assessment of the standard renogram

Renograms were recorded at different rate of urine flow in 30 healthy Nigerian children to establish semi-quantitative criteria to assess the standard renogram. The results indicate that knowledge of the urine flow rate during renography is necessary for meaningful interpretation of the study. They further showed that for semi-quantitative assessment of the renogram the time to peak and time to peak half values are easily identified indexes that can be measured accurately with negligible observer variation. Regression equations for the relationship between urine flow rate on the one hand, and time to peak and time to peak half values on the other have been obtained and used to compute nomograms, which should be useful for future work in this area.

131I hippuran quantitative scintillation camera studies in the evaluation and management of vesicoureteral reflux

A study was made of 136 patients with vesicoureteral reflux with the conventional radiologic modalities of voiding cystourethrography and IVP. In addition, a 30-minute quantitative scintillation camera study was used. Comparison of these studies indicates that most periodic re-evaluations with IVP can be eliminated in favor of the scintillation study with its markedly reduced radiation dosage and lack of allergic type reactions. Unfortunately, as the quantitative scintillation camera study has been performed in these patients, it has been impossible to diagnose the presence of vesicoureteral reflux. Therefore, voiding cystourethrography or direct radionuclide cystography must be repeated at some time to determine if conservative management has been successful. The benefit of the routine use of the quantitative scintillation camera study in the early postoperative period seems to be strongly supported even by the small group of patients studied.