Measurement of single kidney contrast media clearance by multiphasic spiral computed tomography: preliminary results.

OBJECTIVE: We present preliminary results of a new method (hereinafter called 'CT-clearance') to measure single kidney contrast media clearance by performing multiphasic helical CT of the kidneys. CT-clearance was calculated according to an extension of the Patlak-Plot. In contrast to prior investigators, who repeatedly measured a single slice, this method makes it possible to calculate single kidney clearance from at least three spiral CTs, utilizing the whole kidney volume. METHODS: Spiral CT of the kidneys was performed unenhanced and about 30 and 100 s after administration of about 120 ml iopromide. Sum-density of the whole kidneys and aortic density was calculated from this data. Using this data, renal clearance of contrast media was calculated by CT-clearance in 29 patients. As reference, Serum-clearance was calculated in 24 patients by application of a modified one-exponential slope model. Information on the relative kidney function was gained by renal scintigraphy with Tc99m-MAG-3 or Tc99m-DMSA in 29 patients. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis revealed a correlation coefficient of CT-clearance with Serum-clearance of r=0.78 with Cl (CT) [ml/min]=22.2+1.03 * Cl (serum), n=24. Linear regression of the relative kidney function (rkf) of the right kidney calculated by CT-clearance compared to scintigraphy results provided a correlation coefficient r=0.89 with rkf(CT)[%]=18.6+0.58 * rkf(scintigraphy), n=29. CONCLUSION: The obtained results of contrast media clearance measured by CT-clearance are in the physiological range of the parameter. Future studies should be performed to improve the methodology with the aim of higher accuracy. More specifically, better determination of the aortic density curve might improve the accuracy.

Cellular levels of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in mammary epithelial cells and liver from virgin, pregnant and pituitary grafted mice.

O6-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (O6-MT) is a DNA repair protein that reverses alkylation damage at the O6 position of guanine. In the process, O6-MT undergoes suicide inactivation. To determine if this enzyme might be regulated by pregnancy-associated hormones we measured changes in the level of O6-MT in isolated mouse mammary epithelial cell homogenates during different reproductive states. These were pregnancy, ectopic pituitary transplantation, proestrus/estrus and diestrus. O6-MT levels were found to be similar in mice in proestrus/estrus (0.95 fmol/micrograms DNA) as compared to diestrus (0.94 fmol/micrograms DNA) and also mixed populations of virgin mice (1.09 fmol/micrograms DNA). A mean for all virgin mice (0.97 fmol/micrograms DNA) was used as a comparative index. O6-MT decreased 2-fold during pregnancy in mammary epithelial cells to a mean value of 0.45 fmol/micrograms DNA (P less than 0.05). A smaller decrease (0.65 fmol/micrograms DNA; P less than 0.01) in mammary epithelial cells was found at 3 weeks following pituitary isograft. The repair capacity of mammary epithelial cells to liver was compared by measurements made in liver homogenates from the same mice and are approximately 3-fold higher in liver from virgin mice (3.2 fmol/micrograms DNA) than mammary gland. Liver levels of O6-MT increased in pregnant (5.3 fmol/micrograms DNA) and pituitary transplanted (3.9 fmol/micrograms DNA) mice, and were 5- and 4-fold higher than the concentration in virgin mammary epithelial cells respectively.