[Extrarenal changes in the isotopic nephrogram of surgical patients with abdominal pathology and the potentials for...

Eighty-three patients with surgical abdominal pathology were included in the study. On the isotopic nephrogram they all had bilateral symmetric and analogous pathologic changes with varying degree of severity. The most common cause of renal function changes in patients with abdominal pathology was the reduced intravascular volume or vascular capacity changes, registered on the isotopic nephrogram with characteristic symmetrical pathologic curves. The sharp renal perfusion decrease, leading to decrease of glomerular filtration and diminution of diuresis explains the bilateral changes in the isotopic nephrogram which most frequently resemble obturation. The curves returned to normal 1 to 2 weeks after the physiologic state of the patients was stabilized, indicating extrarenal origin of the registered changes in the isotopic nephrogram. The latter should carefully be interpreted, in view of the possible influence of it of extrarenal factors.