[Kidney scintigraphy in dogs and cats using 99mTc-MAG3].

Renal scanning is one of the imaging techniques used to investigate the upper urinary tract. In the present examination, the principles of performing renal scanning in the dog and car are described. Eleven animals with healthy kidneys (six dogs and five cats) were included in the study for the determination of normal scintigraphic findings as well as eight animals (seven dogs and one cat) with renal damage. The following nephropathies were investigated scintigraphically: nephrolithiasis, hydronephrosis, polycystic renal degeneration, renal aplasia, renal hypoplasia, obstruction of the ureter and renal trauma. Renal scanning proved to be easy to perform with acceptable effort in the dog and cat. It allows the simultaneous assessment of renal function on both sides during the phases of renal perfusion and tubular se- and excretion and represents a valuable adjunct to the morphologically orientated radio- and sonography. The nephrogram curves are comparable to those found in man, although the time until reaching the maximum of the curves and elimination half times are shorter. Also, the sequential scintigrams can be divided into the corresponding phases as in man. Through permanent technical development, today there are gamma processors at disposal that allow a faster, comprehensive and sophisticated evaluation. In the present investigation, this was demonstrated by a comparison of two different calculators. However, due to the financial and technical expenditures and the special radiological safety precautions required, renal scanning will be a technique reserved to larger clinics.