Pelviureteric obstruction in children: kidney parenchymal area and technetium-99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid renography.

In 33 patients with pelviureteric obstruction the renal parenchymal area was measured from excretory urography films and split renal function determined with computerized 99mTc-DTPA-renography. All patients had pelviureteroplasty performed during childhood. For this study, excretory urographs and DTPA-renographs performed in 7 patients preoperatively and in all the 33 patients 10 months to 15 years postoperatively, were analyzed. The parenchymal area of both hydronephrotic and healthy contralateral kidneys showed good correlation with split DTPA clearance. The percentile parenchymal area of the hydronephrotic kidneys also had good correlation to their percentile split DTPA-clearance. The planimetric measurement of kidney parenchymal area and DTPA renography are useful alternative methods when evaluating split renal function, severity of hydronephrosis and the result of pelviureteroplasty.