The Value of Captopril Renal Scintigraphy in Assessing the Results of Percutaneous Transluminal Renal Angioplasty and in Following up Renovascular Hypertension—A Case Report

Abstract

Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) was performed in a patient with bilateral renal artery stenoses diagnosed noninvasively by captopril renal scintigraphy and confirmed by renal arteriography. The captopril renal scintigraphy parameters returned to normal in correlation with improved blood pressure response fifteen days after PTRA. Five months later hypertension reappeared and the repeated captopril renal scintigraphy suggested left renal artery stenosis. PTRA was repeated and a stent was implanted with reversal of blood pressure, and captopril renal scintigraphy findings returned to normal levels. Six months after second PTRA, the blood pressure increased to hypertensive levels, and captopril renal scintigraphy indicated left renal artery stenosis. The renal arteriography, however, revealed a new stenosis at the left renal artery ostium. The PTRA with a second stent implantation was performed successfully. The captopril renal scintigraphic parameters and the blood pressure were again normalized after the last intervention and remained normal for thirteen months of follow-up.