Conventional renal diagnostic agents, [131I]hippuran, [99mTc]
glucoheptonate (GHA), and [
99mTc] dimercaptosuccinate (DMS) were compared with [99mTc] or [111In] diethylenetriaminepentaacetic (
DTPA) for the detection of glomerular damage in rats compared with controls. The glomerular lesions were induced by the i.v. injection of
puromycin aminonucleoside (PA) 9 days before the
radionuclide studies, a model of spontaneous "
minimal change" glomerulonephritis in humans. Computer-generated early renal uptake of [99mTc]
DTPA or GHA correlated with the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) quantitated by biexponential plasma clearance of
DTPA administered by single i.v. injection. The early renal uptake of hippuran and DMS correlated poorly with GFR as assessed by
DTPA clearance. However, the 2-hr renal retention of DMS correlated well with the
DTPA clearance. None of the parameters measured with [131I]hippuran correlated well with
DTPA clearance, probably because of decreased
protein plasma binding of hippuran secondary to
hypoproteinemia in this experimental model. It was concluded that none of these agents was superior to labeled
DTPA for the detection of glomerular damage in this experimental model.