A CLINICAL STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF PERCUTANEOUS NEPHROURETEROLITHOTOMY ON RENAL FUNCTION USING ^99mTc-DMSA RENAL SCINTIGRAPHY

Abstract

To clarify the influence of percutaneous nephroureterolithotomy (PNL) on renal function, ^99mTc-DMSA renal scintigraphy was performed preoperatively and 3, 6 and 12 months after the procedure.
In 50 stone-containing renal units, 48 patients, changes of DMSA renal uptake rate were investigated for determination of individual renal function. In 3 cases with staghorn calculi which complicated with pyelonephritis during PNL procedure, DMSA renal uptake rate was decreased after PNL. On the other hand, DMSA renal uptake rate was almost stationary after PNL in other cases.
In 21 renal units (42%), the postoperative renal scintigrams showed low uptake or cold areas at nephrostomy tracts.
These results indicate that control of infection during PNL is important to maintain renal function.