Differential renal function test was made on thirty-four hypertensive patients without abnormalities of renal arteries and thirteen patients with renovascular hypertension. The diagnostic significance of these studies was evaluated, and new criteria consisting of two indices, tubular rejection fraction ratio (TRFR, Rapoport) and left/right ratio of
UK/
UNa were presented. In patients without abnormalities of renal arteries both indices of TRFR and left/right ratio of
UK/
UNa remained close to 1.0. In four of ten patients with unilateral stenosis of renal artery, the values of TRFR overlapped the normal range. In contrast, the left/right ratios of
UK/
UNa a were distinctly deviated from 1.0. In one of three patients with bilateral renal artery stenosis, both indices showed a pattern of the unilateral stenosis, suggesting that the stenosis of renal artery was severer in degree on one side than on the other. It was found that, although TRFR had a fairly good diagnostic value, false negative results could not be completely avoided and that since
UK/
UNa was higher on the side of stenosis, the left/right ratio of UK/UNa was a helpful para-meter for the diagnosis of the unilateral stenosis of renal artery. The diagnostic value of the differential renal function test was found to be more reliable when TRFR and left/right ratio of
UK/
UNa were simultaneously evaluated.
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