99Tcm-MAG3 renal studies: effective renal plasma flow in patients with spinal cord injuries

To assess whether number of years since time of injury, level or degree of injury, gender or age influence renal function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), single and total kidney effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) was measured in 66 patients using 99Tcm-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (99Tcm-MAG3). In approximately 50% of the SCI patients, the single kidney ERPF was less than 250 ml min-1 and total ERPF was less than 500 ml min-1. The single kidney ERPF was worse in female and older SCI patients than in male and younger patients. For total ERPF, age only was a significant factor. Total ERPF was worse in female than in male SCI patients, though this did not reach significance. We conclude that the non-invasive measurement of renal function using 99Tcm-MAG3 is safe and applied easily to SCI patients.