Kidney scintigraphy is a nuclear imaging method that evaluates blood flow and kidney function. Radioisotopes are injected into the bloodstream and imaged with a special camera. The test takes 30-60 minutes and carries few health risks. It is used to diagnose kidney disorders and detect organ rejection in transplant patients. The procedure is conducted in a clinical setting and involves injecting radioactive material into the bloodstream followed by imaging the kidneys with a gamma camera.
Kidney scintigraphy is a chemical nuclear imaging method used to conduct a thorough evaluation of a patient’s blood flow and kidney function. This test might also be called a kidney scan, radioisotope renography, kidney imaging, or nuclear medicine kidney scan. There are several types of kidney scans, each of which involves injecting radioisotopes into the bloodstream followed by monitoring and imaging the radioactive tracers with a special camera as the chemicals make their way to the kidneys. The entire scan typically takes 30-60 minutes and causes no discomfort beyond an initial pin prick.
The two most common types of renal scintigraphy require the use of the radiopharmaceuticals diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) and mercapto acetyl triglycine (MAG3). In most patients, DTPA provides sufficient images, but occasionally MAG3 produces clearer images in the elderly and very young. Kidney imaging carries few health risks and almost no side effects, but pregnant women and nursing mothers are advised to inform the radiology technician of their condition. In rare cases, some patients experience allergies to certain nuclear medicines and may experience adverse effects following the procedure.
Healthcare professionals use kidney scintigraphy to evaluate existing disorders and to determine the reason for undiagnosed health problems related to the kidneys. In people who have had a kidney transplant, isotope scanning is one of the methods doctors use to detect and treat organ rejection or abnormal fluid circulation in the kidneys. A kidney scan can also uncover dangerous health conditions such as renovascular hypertension and narrowing of the arteries responsible for supplying blood to the kidneys. Additionally, clinical tracing of radioisotopes in blood could illuminate specific areas of urinary system blockage that have resulted from trauma or damage to the kidneys.
In most cases, patients can expect a renal scintigraphy session to take place in a familiar clinical setting. A cuff or tourniquet is applied to the upper arm and a technician injects radioactive material into the bloodstream through a tube or cannula. As soon as the technician loosens the tourniquet, the isotopes begin their journey through the circulatory system to the kidneys. Occasionally, a second injection containing the diuretic frusemide may be given through the cannula about 15 minutes later. Frusemide increases the production and flow of urine through the ureters, making it easier to locate blockages in the urinary system.
At this point, the technician uses a gamma camera to capture several images of the kidneys. Gamma cameras are imaging devices specially equipped to locate and track radioisotopes throughout the body. After the session, a technician analyzes the images with computer software and forwards the results to the patient’s doctor.
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