Contradictory Supranormal Nuclear Renographic Differential Renal Function: Fact or Artifact?

AbstractWe previously reported contradictory supranormal nuclear renographic differential renal function in cases of unilateral hydroureteronephrosis, in which the kidneys with hydroureteronephrosis paradoxically had a greater differential function than the contralateral normal mate, based on diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) nuclear renography. To evaluate whether DTPA supranormal differential function represented true hyperfunction, patients with DTPA supranormal differential function were evaluated with dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) nuclear renography and the results were compared.A total of 16 patients with unilateral hydronephrosis was identified to have DTPA differential function of 53 percent or more. They were younger than age 1 year and had never undergone any urological surgery. In all 16 patients the DMSA differential function (mean 51.1 percent, range 42 to 57 percent) was lower than their own corresponding DTPA differential function (mean 58.3 percent, range 53 to 66 percent, p less ...