MAG3 renal scintigraphy: improved ability to make anatomical diagnoses in neonates

Technetium-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) is the most recently introduced renal radiopharmaceutical in Australia and is established as the agent of choice for use in diuresis renography, particularly in neonates and infants. It provides superior anatomical information compared to previously used agents. Three cases are reported in which MAG3 diuresis renography was performed in neonates, who were found to have hydronephrosis detected antenatally. In two neonates, a previously unrecognized horseshoe kidney was demonstrated and in case 3 there were scan features characteristic of a ureterocele. It is highly unlikely that these abnormalities would have been delineated with 99mTc dimethyltriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) study, as confirmed in case 1, because of the relatively poor uptake of DTPA when compared to MAG3.