The aim of this study was to compare a simple measure obtained visuall
y from serial images, the corticopelvic transfer index (CPI), with ren
al transit times obtained by deconvolution. The CPI was defined as the
time interval between the appearance of the tracer in the renal corte
x to its appearance in the renal pelvis. Four groups of subjects as de
termined by clinical data and renal transit times were investigated re
trospectively: 86 normal kidneys, 20 kidneys with renovascular disorde
r, 17 kidneys with obstructive nephropathy and 26 kidneys with dilated
pelves without obstructive nephropathy. There were good correlations
only between the CPI and mean parenchymal transit time (MPTT; r = 0.6)
and the whole kidney transit time index (WKTTI; r = 0.8). It was conc
luded that in centres where gamma-camera studies with deconvolution an
alysis are not possible, the CPI could be a useful parameter in renal
radionuclide scintigraphy for suspected renovascular disorders.