Dynamic renal scintigraphy in evaluation of renal function in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1

The study included 27 patients (17 men and 10 women aged from 18 to 55) with diabetes mellitus type 1. Diabetic nephropathy with microalbuminuria was found in 18 patients (66.7%); normoalbuminuria was detected in the rest 9 patients (33.3%). Data of laboratory tests did not significantly differ between the groups (p>0.05). Analysis of the dynamic renal scintigraphy data showed that patients with abnormal glomerular filtration in microalbuminuria group had significant increase in Tmax, delay in excretion of radiopharmaceutical in both kidneys, and increase in radiopharmaceutical excretion halftime in right kidney. The observations suggested that dynamic renal scintigraphy had high sensitivity in the evaluation of renal function in patients with duration of the disease less than 10 years. Data showed correlation between the results of the laboratory tests and dynamic renal scintigraphy in patients with microalbuminuria depending on diabetes duration. There was a clear upward trend in the time to maximum counts in left kidney in patients with microalbuminuria and different duration of diabetes mellitus. Data of the study provided evidence that dynamic renal scintigraphy may be used for the integrative evaluation of renal function in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 and diabetic nephropathy.