ABSTRACT
Objective To analyze the relation between ~(99)Tc~m-DTPA renal dynamic imaging and pathological changes in patients with lupus nephritis (LN).Methods Ten normal control and 29 patients with LN underwent ~(99)Tc~m-DTPA renal dynamic imaging.The LN patients were divided into two groups:silent LN (SLN) group,18 patients;and obvious LN (OLN) group,11 patients.For each case,glomerular filtration rate (GFR),peak time (t_p),half excretion time (t_(1/2)) and the excretion rate at 20 min (R_(20)) were calculated.Assessment of renal function on the scintigraphic images was evaluated by nuclear medicine physicians.The t-test,Fisher'exact probability and R×C association were used for data analysis.Results There were significant differences between normal people and two goups of LN in tp(t=5.3,9.3,both P＜0.05),t_(1/2)(t=6.9,12.0,both P＜0.05)and R_(20)(t=10.1,12.1,both P＜0.05).As to GFR,there was significant decrease in OLN patients(t=4.1,P＜0.05),but not in SLN patients(t=1.7,P＞0.05).Diagnoses of renal function by renal dynamic imaging were compared with the renal pathological changes (r=0.2273,P＜0.05).Conclusions ~(99)Tc~m-DTPA renal dynamic imaging is useful for evaluation of the early stage renal function for LN patients and to diagnose LN patients with no symptom of renal impairment.It may help to assess the degree of renal parenchymal damage while obviating the need for renal biopsy in these patients.