Renal Transplant Evaluation

            Renal Transplant  has become the treatment of choice for terminal kidney failure. One year survival: 80% of cadaver grafts, 90% non-HLA identical living donors and 95% with HLA similar. Likewise, half-life of grafts from living-related donors varies between 13 and 24 years. Survival for patients receiving bank organs is 75% and for living donors is 84% as an average.

            99mTc-MAG-3 and analogs are ideal radiotracers to assess kidney transplants, due to the excellent images obtained explained on their rapid renal uptake and excretion in a wide range of function. In previous decades, 99mTc-DTPA was used, but image quality was limited, preventing an accurate differential diagnosis, especially in the early period of the transplant. The most frequent indications will be presented including data and illustrative clinical cases as follows:

                                 Acute Tubular Necrosis

                                 Vascular Occlusion

                                 Acute Rejection

                                 Obstructive Uropathy

                                 Leaking

             Other complications that can be studied with imaging procedures are: Perinephric fluid collection, such as hematoma, urinoma     and lymphocele. Other manifested by decreased renal function like drug nephrotoxicity. Other vascular complications, kidney infarct, arterio-venous fistulas, renovascular hypertension and pseudoaneurysms.

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