[Use of radioisotopes in urology]

The use of radionuclide methods in the functional investigation of the urinary tract has become a routine part in the diagnostics of nephro-urologic diseases. These methods provide a great deal of important additional information concerning the functional status of the kidney and renal outlet system such as: overall renal function, contribution of the individual kidney to global renal function, regional distribution of functionally viable renal tissue within the kidney, and the state of upper as well as lower urinary tract urodynamics. These functional parameters are complementary to the anatomic details of the urinary tract status, and are best depicted by radiologic techniques. The paper deals with the basic principles of certain radionuclide studies, their advantages and drawbacks, as well as the main areas of their clinical application.