Gamma camera imaging of renal transplant

Abstract

Renal transplantation is the most commonly performed solid organ transplantation across the world. Advances in imaging, along with improvements in surgical techniques, histopathologic analyses, and development of efficacious immunosuppressive therapies, among others have contributed toward increasing graft longevity. Nuclear medicine studies, including PET and SPECT form an inherent part of the diagnostic armamentarium involved in the pre- and posttransplantation setting. The morphologic data, provided primarily by ultrasonography, and on a per-case basis by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, correlated with the functional data, provided by the nuclear medicine studies can improve diagnostic accuracy in majority of the transplant-associated complications. Since most of the transplant-related complications are amenable to medical or surgical treatment, early and accurate diagnosis is key to graft salvage and subsequent favorable outcomes. In this chapter, we focus on the complications associated with renal transplantation, and the contribution of single photon imaging studies, predominantly dynamic renal scintigraphy to the overall picture of multimodality diagnostic imaging. We also briefly discuss the role of Nuclear medicine studies in the potential donor evaluation before renal transplantation.