Scintigraphical examinations in kidney trauma

Thirty-three patients with acute renal trauma and 9 others sent to us for a specialist's opinion were examined radiologically and scintigraphically in the years 1971-1973. Scintigraphy proved to be an important complementary examination to the radiological procedures for the estimation of the impaired functional status of the damaged kidney. In half of the cases X-ray alone did not yield an exact assessment of the extent of the damage to the kidney as did the combination with scintigraphy and under some circumstances with isotope nephrography. Sometimes the X-ray picture allowed an under- or overestimation of the renal damage. Both radiological procedures are without risk and simple to carry out. In some instances this nuclear-medical complemntary examination can more exactly answer the question whether kidney trauma is involved.