title: Off-site determinations of effective renal plasma flow using technetium-99m-MAG3 and single blood sampling.
abstract: This study evaluated the feasibility of determining effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) at an off-site central laboratory by transferring blood samples from the on-site laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were obtained from 66 patients referred for renal imaging with 99mTc-MAG3. ERPF values were determined using the single blood sample method (BSM) at both on- and off-site laboratories. The ERPF values were classified clinically as normal or abnormal. Both the ERPF values and clinical classification were compared between on- and off-site laboratories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The off-site ERPF overestimated those on-site by 2.8% (paired Student's t-test p < 10(-5)). However, off-site ERPF values highly correlated with the values obtained on-site (r = 0.99; p < 10(-5)). In addition, the clinical classification for each patient determined at each site was identical.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ERPF can be determined accurately off-site. This method should allow many nuclear medicine departments access to the ERPF determination by the BSM at a central off-site laboratory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vines
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Denhartog
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichise
mesh_terms: D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007753:Laboratories; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000097:blood; D017597:Renal Blood Flow, Effective; D013048:Specimen Handling; D017263:Technetium Tc 99m Mertiatide / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017263:Technetium Tc 99m Mertiatide