Importance of Correctly Identifying Kidney Structure When Performing Quantitative Analysis in Bilateral Renal Scintigraphy

Abstract

Occasionally, clear visualization of the kidneys in the early phase of bilateral renal scintigraphy is not readily apparent. Knowledge of the normal sequence of the injected bolus of Tc-99m-DTPA and of kidney morphology and its variations aids in distinguishing the kidney from surrounding structures. However, various hypervascular structures, such as the spleen, may mislead the technologist who performs differential count analysis. All or part of the spleen may be included if there is poor visualization of the left kidney. If the technologist mistakenly compares the right kidney to the spleen on the left side, the end results or quantitation will be misleading and incorrect. By viewing both the dynamic and static images collectively, the technologist is able to define kidney tissue and proceed with the quantitative analysis.