Radionuclide investigations of the urinary tract in the era of multimodality imaging.

Abstract

This article presents the role of nuclear medicine procedures in investigating renal and parenchymal disease, as well as upper urinary tract abnormalities. More specifically, the use of scintigraphy is described in the exploration of urinary tract dilatation and UTIs, vesicoureteric reflux, renovascular hypertension, and renal transplants. With a low radiation burden and the absence of sedation, these nuclear medicine procedures are easy to perform and can provide clinicians with valuable data on renal perfusion and the function of individual kidneys, as well as on urinary tract dynamics. However, knowledge of limitations and technical pitfalls is essential in understanding the role of scintigraphy among contemporary imaging methods and the unique information it supplies in nephrourology.

• Authors: Ariane Boubaker, John O Prior, Jean-Yves Meuwly, Angelika Bischof-Delaloye
• Journal: Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine (J Nucl Med) Vol. 47 Issue 11 Pg. 1819-36 (Nov 2006) ISSN: 0161-5505 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17079816 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Humans
• Hypertension, Renovascular (diagnosis, diagnostic imaging)
• Infant
• Kidney Transplantation (methods)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nuclear Medicine (trends)
• Pyelonephritis (diagnosis, diagnostic imaging)
• Radioisotope Renography (instrumentation, methods)
• Radionuclide Imaging (methods)
• Urinary Tract (diagnostic imaging, pathology)