Role of radiopharmaceutical renal function studies in the medical surveillance of patients with transplanted kidneys

In a study group of 35 patients having received a total of 37 kidneys 204 renal function scintiscans were obtained following administration of 99mTc DTPA and analysed with regard to the question as to whether radiopharmaceutical investigations using a gamma camera are a useful auxiliary tool to detect and diagnose functional disorders in the transplant that occur soon after surgery. In all of 13 patients showing complications in the form of prolonged anuria or oliguria during a period of up to 14 days following surgical intervention, the renal function scintiscans either permitted as firm diagnosis to be established or revealed conclusive findings that pointed to the necessity of further specific tests. Long-term follow-up studies carried out in 33 individuals failed or were slow to reveal acute or chronic rejection processes in one quarter of the patients, whereas the renal function scintiscans gave the earliest warning of functional disorders, unfavourable developments and complications in another quarter of patients; in the remaining part, the test results were in keeping with the clinical findings. Renal function scintiscans were thus judged to be a valuable diagnostic tool to ascertain and identify disorders occurring soon after surgery as well as to detect the early signs of functional disorders in the transplant during long-term follow-up studies. In view of the fact, however, that the sensitivity of the method in this field of application only is of the order of 75%, further research work appears to be required here. (TRV)