Quantitative technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scanning in children

Objectives: To develop a method for assessing absolute renal function (as well as morphology) in children, using gamma camera imaging of intravenously injected technetium-99m (99mTc) dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). Methods. Forty-five children (ages 1 week to 10 years; mean, 2.0 years) were imaged using a planar technique in which not only the appearance but the absolute amount of intravenously administered 99mTc DMSA taken up by the kidneys was calculated for each child and compared with contemporaneous determinations of creatinine clearance. Results. There was a close correlation between the absolute DMSA uptake and creatinine clearance (r = 0.752). Conclusions. Renal function in children, expressed as creatinine clearance, can be accurately estimated by measuring absolute DMSA uptake with planar gamma camera imaging using 99mTc DMSA.