51Cr-EDTA/99Tcm-MDP ratio: a simple non-invasive method for assessing renal osteodystrophy

We have used 99Tcm-MDP to develop a measure of overall skeletal activity for use in renal disease. The method utilizes the relative clearances of 99Tcm-MDP and 51Cr-EDTA from the blood after simultaneous injection. This is expressed as a ratio and the upper limit in normals is 1.4. This ratio has been evaluated in 42 patients with chronic renal failure and compared with appearances of left-hand radiographs. The ratio was elevated in these patients and the level corresponded to the degree of severity of the subperiosteal resorption. Similarly, there was a close correlation between the ratio values and the serum alkaline phosphatase measurements and parathyroid hormone values. Thirty-three patients had sequential studies performed at intervals of up to 2 years. Twenty-one patients showed no change on clinical, biochemical or bone scan evaluation. Of these, only one patient showed a change in ratio value of greater than 20%. Twelve patients showed evidence of change based either on clinical, biochemical or bone scan alteration and all 12 patients showed changes in ratio values greater than 20%. The 51Cr-EDTA/99Tcm-MDP ratio appears to offer not only a single plasma sample method for the detection and evaluation of renal bone disease, but our results also suggest that it may be valuable in the follow-up of these patients.