RENAL SCINTIGRAPHY WITH TC-99M-MERCAPTOAC ETYLTRIGLYCINE (MAG(3)) IN DOGS AND CATS

Renal scintigraphy is one of the diagnostic imaging techniques of the urinary tract and is well established in human medicine as a test for venal function. This technique allows for quantitative assessment of t he function of each individual kidney and provides information about r enal perfusion, tubular secretion and postrenal urodynamics. In this s tudy, examination technique, and usefulness of the radiopharmaceutic a gent Tc-99m-MAG(3) was evaluated in dogs and cats. Renal scintigraphy can be divided into sequential scintigraphy, which is evaluated visual ly, and radioisotope nephrography, which is determined by the shape of a curve and certain time intervals (T-max, T-max/2) In order to estab lish reference values 11 dogs and 9 cats with normal renal function we re examined. T-max (time until curve maximum) was 4.19 +/- 1.02 minute s and 3.68 +/- 0.98 minutes in dogs and cats respectively. A decrease of the curve by half was reached after 5.22 +/- 1.73 minutes in dogs a nd 5.44 +/- 2.29 minutes in cats. Three clinical examples for the use of renal scintigraphy are presented. This technique allows for minimal invasive imaging and quantification of the function of each individua l kidney and can therefore help in decision making prior to surgical p rocedures.