Gallium-67 scintigraphy in the detection of infected polycystic kidneys in renal transplant recipients.

Renal transplant recipients with underlying polycystic kidney disease (PKD) may present with recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI). This is often due to persistent infection in one or both of the native polycystic kidneys. It may be necessary to remove the infected kidney in order to remove the source of persistent infection. Gallium-67 scintigraphy was performed in 11 renal transplant recipients with underlying PKD. Positive studies were obtained in four recipients who had recurrent UTI. The scan also localized which of the kidneys (native or transplant) was the site of persistent infection. These four recipients subsequently had nephrectomy of the infected polycystic kidneys as suggested by the scan. Negative scans were obtained in seven recipients who did not have recurrent UTI. Gallium scintigraphy is a useful test for detecting and localizing the site of persistent UTI in renal transplant recipients with underlying PKD who present with recurrent UTI.