Normal and hydronephrotic kidney: evaluation of renal function with contrast-enhanced MR imaging.
Four healthy volunteers and six patients with hydronephrosis underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging after the injection of gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepenta-aceticacid for the assessment of renal function. Coronal angulated 10-second images were obtained during suspended respiration (inspiratory apnea) and showed excellent anatomic detail. In healthy volunteers, the renal cortex showed an increase in signal intensity after Gd-DTPA injection, and the renal medulla showed a precipitous decrease in intensity approximately 1 minute after injection, followed by a gradual increase in intensity. The renal pelvis showed a gradual decrease in intensity after several minutes, with occasional signal-void areas in adjacent structures. In patients with hydronephrosis, the decrease in intensity in the medulla and pelvis was not observed; instead, an increase in intensity occurred. The physiologic function of glomerular filtration and in vitro results of serial dilutions of Gd-DTPA suggest that the decrease in intensity is due to T2 and susceptibility effects occurring at high concentrations of Gd-DTPA.
Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
R
R
Kikinis
G K
GK
von Schulthess
P
P
Jäger
R
R
Dürr
M
M
Bino
W
W
Kuoni
O
O
Kübler
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D006869:Hydronephrosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D007677:Kidney Function Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D012016:Reference Values
D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA