NONINFECTIOUS COMPLICATIONS OF CONTINUOUS AMBULATORY PERITONEAL-DIALYSIS - EVALUATION WITH PERITONEAL COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the non-infectious complicati ons elf continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) using periton eal computed tomography (PCT). Twenty symptomatic patients were includ ed in the study. Initially 2000 mi of dialysate fluid was infused into the peritoneal cavity and standard peritoneal computed tomography (SP CT) serial scans with 10 mm thickness were performed from the mid-thor acic region to the genital organs. Afterwards, 100 mi of non-ionic con trast material containing 300 mg/ml iodine was injected through the ca theter and was distributed homogeneously in the intra-abdominal dialys ate fluid by changing the positions of the patients; after waiting for 2-4, h, the CT scan was repeated as peritoneal contrast computed tomo graphy (PCCT). In patients (n = 20) both SPCT and PCCT revealed 90% (n = 18) pathological findings. But PCCT showed 60% (n = 12) additional p athological findings. We believe that PCT is beneficial for evaluation of non-infectious complications of CAPD. Hut PCCT is superior to SPCT in evaluating non-infectious complications encountered in patients on CAPD treatment.