Standardization of anaesthesia for radiorenography with primates under laboratory conditions

The influence of thiopentone intravenous infusion or halothane inhalation on the results of radiorenography was evaluated using, in six chacma baboons (Papio ursinus), 99mTc-diethyltriamine-pentaacetic acid (DTPA) as scanning agent. The renogram parameters, which depend on the condition of the cardiovascular system, differed significantly for the two anaesthetic agents. Since anaesthesia is necessary in baboon studies for the duration of renogram acquisition, it is imperative to standardize an experimental procedure which will leave the cardiovascular system relatively stable. From this investigation it seemed most appropriate to use as an anaesthetic a constant intravenous infusion of thiopentone.