The relationship between renal parenchymal mass and absolute quantitation of 99Tcm-DMSA uptake. An experimental study in the growing pig.

Five Gottingen minipigs from the same litter aged 1 month entered the study and right nephrectomies were performed at staggered intervals between weeks 1 and 5. Absolute renal uptake of 99Tcm-DMSA, expressed as a percentage of the administered dose, was recorded in each animal weekly before right nephrectomy and at weekly intervals for 5 weeks post-nephrectomy. Before nephrectomy absolute renal uptake of 99Tcm-DMSA ranged between 16.8 and 21.5% (mean 18.6%) per kidney with no difference between right and left kidneys. After right nephrectomy, uptake in the left kidney approximately doubled within 1 week. No correlation was shown between renal parenchymal mass and absolute 99Tcm-DMSA uptake in paired or solitary normal kidneys undergoing growth or compensatory growth.