Functional assessment of the kidney from magnetic resonance and computed tomography renography: impulse retention approach to a multicompartment model.

A three-compartment model is proposed for analyzing magnetic resonance renography (MRR) and computed tomography renography (CTR) data to derive clinically useful parameters such as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF). The model fits the convolution of the measured input and the predefined impulse retention functions to the measured tissue curves. A MRR study of 10 patients showed that relative root mean square errors by the model were significantly lower than errors for a previously reported three-compartmental model (11.6% +/- 4.9 vs 15.5% +/- 4.1; P < 0.001). GFR estimates correlated well with reference values by (99m)Tc-DTPA scintigraphy (correlation coefficient r = 0.82), and for RPF, r = 0.80. Parameter-sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo simulation indicated that model parameters could be reliably identified. When the model was applied to CTR in five pigs, expected increases in RPF and GFR due to acetylcholine were detected with greater consistency than with the previous model. These results support the reliability and validity of the new model in computing GFR, RPF, and renal mean transit times from MR and CT data.