99m Technetium DMSA and the Prediction of Recovery in Obstructive Uropathy

Summary —Predictions of the potential for recovery of renal function in obstructive uropathy are difficult and unreliable. 99m Technetium DMSA accumulates in tubule cells and has been proposed as a marker of the tubular mass. However, in 34 patients with obstructive uropathy we have found no correlation between the pre‐operative scintigraphic appearances of the obstructed kidney and the post‐operative result. Reduced or absent DMSA uptake does not necessarily mean irreversible renal damage.