AJP - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Vol 251, Issue 5 1024-H1030, Copyright © 1986 by American Physiological Society
Serial analysis of renal blood flow by positron tomography with rubidium-82
N. Tamaki, C. A. Rabito, N. M. Alpert, T. Yasuda, J. A. Correia, M. Barlai-Kovach, M. Kanke, S. C. Dragotakes and H. W. Strauss
To determine whether renal blood flow can be measured by positron-emission
tomography (PET) during constant infusion of rubidium-82 (82Rb) using a
steady-state kinetic model, studies were performed in 10 dogs at control (n
= 10), during mild flow reduction (n = 7), during severe flow reduction (n
= 10), and after reperfusion of the kidney (n = 3). PET data were
quantified to determine mean concentration of 82Rb (Ct) in each transverse
section of the kidney. The arterial concentration (Ca) of 82Rb was measured
by well counting of arterial blood samples during the equilibrium scan.
82Rb renal uptake (Ct/Ca) correlated nonlinearly with microsphere renal
blood flow according to a steady-state kinetic model (r = 0.90). 82Rb
estimated flow was 3.16 +/- 1.36 ml X min-1 X g-1 at control and 1.56 +/-
0.57 and 0.37 +/- 0.59 during mild and severe flow reductions,
respectively. Microsphere determined flow was 2.89 +/- 0.77 ml X min-1 X
g-1 at control, 1.58 +/- 0.42 at mild reduction, and 0.27 +/- 0.49 at
severe reduction. In the occlusion and reperfusion model, the 82Rb
estimated flow during occlusion was 0.21 +/- 0.15 ml X min-1 X g-1 and on
reperfusion went up to 2.13 +/- 1.08. The contralateral kidney demonstrated
reductions in the 82Rb estimated flow of 3.02 +/- 1.62 ml X min-1 X g-1
(63%) and 2.92 +/- 0.89 (61%) during mild and severe flow reductions,
respectively. We conclude that PET with 82Rb permits serial quantitative
assessment of renal flood flow.
