title: Evaluation of the use of technetium Tc 99m diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid and technetium Tc 99m dimercaptosuccinic acid for scintigraphic imaging of the kidneys in green iguanas (Iguana iguana).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the use of scintigraphy involving technetium Tc 99m diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid ((99m)Tc-DTPA) or technetium Tc 99m dimercaptosuccinic acid ((99m)Tc-DMSA) for the determination of kidney morphology and function in green iguanas (Iguana iguana).
  
  
  METHODS
  10 healthy iguanas weighing >1.6 kg.
  
  
  METHODS
  Renal scintigraphy was performed by use of (99m)Tc-DTPA in 6 of the iguanas and by use of (99m)Tc-DMSA in all 10 iguanas. After the injection of (99m)Tc-DMSA, scans were performed for each iguana at intervals during a 20-hour period. Renal biopsies were performed in all 10 iguanas after the final scintigraphic evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In iguanas, the use of (99m)Tc-DTPA for renal scintigraphy was nondiagnostic because of serum protein binding and poor renal uptake of the isotope; mean +/- SD (99m)Tc-DTPA bound to serum proteins was 48.9 +/- 9.9%. Renal uptake of (99m)Tc-DMSA produced distinct visualization of both kidneys. Renal uptake and soft tissue clearance of (99m)Tc-DMSA increased over the 20-hour imaging period; mean +/- SD renal uptake of (99m)Tc-DMSA was 11.31 +/- 3.06% at 20 hours. In each of the 10 iguanas, ultrasonographic and histologic examinations of biopsy specimens from both kidneys revealed no abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate that the kidneys of iguanas can be evaluated scintigraphically by use of (99m)Tc-DMSA; this technique may be potentially useful for the diagnosis of renal failure in iguanas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
authors.forename: Leah L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Greer
authors.forename: Gregory B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: Valerie I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Shearn-Bochsler
authors.forename: Edward C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ramsay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007076:Iguanas / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019783:Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019783:Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate