Health

What type of renal scan is used to evaluate for cortical scarring related to pyelonephritis or vesicoureteral reflux? How does it work? Pyelonephritis can result in renal scarring, hypertension, proteinuria, and renal failure. Renal scarring from vesicoureteral reflux accounts for 10% to 20% of patients with end-stage renal disease. A renal scan with 99m Tc dimercaptosuccinic acid …

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How is ATN differentiated from rejection in renal transplant patients? Clinically, ATN occurs almost immediately after transplantation whereas chronic rejection generally occurs over several days to several weeks or longer after transplantation. ATN can occur later, although it is usually associated with some specific event that damages the transplant and usually takes several weeks or …

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Why are renal scans obtained 1 day after renal transplantation? A renal scan within 1 day of surgical transplantation can be very useful for detecting overall flow in the transplanted kidney to ensure that the transplant renal artery is patent. The renal scan can also be used to help evaluate the extent of acute tubular …

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How is captopril renal scintigraphy used to evaluate for renal artery stenosis? A renal scan in a patient with renal artery stenosis often appears normal because the renin-angiotensin system causes a vasoconstriction of the efferent arterioles, which helps maintain the pressure across the glomeruli, preserving renal function. A renal scan performed after the administration of …

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How do processes that decrease the radiotracer activity in both kidneys differ from processes that affect a single kidney? Processes affecting both kidneys are often more systemic in nature. Glomerulonephritis can cause decreased flow in both kidneys. Acute or chronic renal failure also results in decreased flow and function in both kidneys. There can always …

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Potential causes of nonvisualization of a kidney on renal scintigraphy Nonvisualization of a kidney on a renal scan can be seen with prior nephrectomy, renal agenesis, post-traumatic or postsurgical injury to the kidney’s vascular supply, or other vascular or obstructive processes. Vascular disorders that result in nonvisualization of a kidney include renal artery occlusion and …

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Which processes results in an increase in size of one or both kidneys? A common cause of a unilaterally enlarged kidney is compensatory hypertrophy for an absent or poorly functioning contralateral kidney. Hydronephrosis can also result in an enlarged kidney and may affect one or both kidneys. Patients with polycystic renal disease may also have …

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