The Evaluation of Renal Function in Spinal Cord Injury Patients Using Radioisotope Renography

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to determine the renal function by radioisotope renography and to compare the findings of radioisotope renography in the spinal cord injured patients to the clinical presentations and findings of other conventional urologic examinations. METHOD: Intravenous pyelogram(IVP), voiding cystourethrogram(VCUG) and urodynamic study were performed in twenty-five spinal cord injured patients along with serum BUN/Creatinine levels and 24 hour creatinine clearance tests. Technetium-99 m mercaptoacetyltriglycine was used for the radioisotope renography. RESULTS: One abnormal radioisotope renography finding was noted among 22 normal findings by IVP and VCUG studies, while no abnormal finding by IVP and VCUG studies was noted among the subjects with a normal radioisotope renography. Effective renal plasma flow(ERPF) was significantly lower in patients with lower creatinine clearance. ERPF, cortical retention and creatinine clearance values for hyperreflexic bladders were significantly different from areflexic bladders. ERPF was significantly higher in a clean intermittent catheterization group than in a percussion and Cred method group for the hyperreflexic bladders. CONCLUSION: The study proves that the radioisotope renography is a sensitive and valuable study to evaluate the renal dysfunction in the spinal cord injured patients.