Comparison of radioisotope methods for the measurement of phosphate absorption in normal subjects and in patients with chronic renal failure.

1. Intestinal phosphate absorption was measured in normal subjects, in patients with chronic renal failure, and in post-transplant patients, by a double isotope technique involving oral administration of 32P and simultaneous intravenous injection of 33P with subsequent deconvolution analysis. 2. By this technique intestinal phosphate absorption has been shown to have two components: an initial rapid phase, which is completed by 3 h, and a slower more prolonged phase, which continues beyond 7 1/2 h. 3. Phosphate malabsorption has been demonstrated in chronic renal failure and transplant patients, which is accounted for by impairment of the initial rapid phase of absorption. 4. Results obtained by deconvolution analysis have been compared with other estimates of phosphate absorption obtained from analysis of 32P radioactivity curves alone. 5. The fractional hourly rate of absorption and the plasma 32P radioactivity at 60 min corrected for extracellular fluid volume provided the best approximations to the result obtained by deconvolution analysis, with respect to both the maximal rate of phosphate absorption and cumulative percentage phosphate absorption.