Computed tomography of the transplanted kidney

Fourteen renal transplant recipients received the examination of plain and/or dynamic computed tomography (CT) for evaluation of their grafts. The periods between the day of transplantation and of CT examination varied from 11 months to 14 years and the function of the grafts varied from 1.2 mg/dl to 5.1 mg/dl of the serum creatinine level. CT number of the grafts was lower in the patients with poor functioning grafts. The volume, cortical area and % volume of cortex of poor functioning grafts were decreased rather those that of good functioning grafts. Dynamic CT depicted the characteristic enhancement units curves for renal cortex, medulla and pelvis. This study suggests CT scan is useful for evaluation of the transplanted kidneys. (author)