Abstract:
Objective To investigate the consistency and feasibility of low-dose 99Tcm-diethylene-triaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) SPECT/CT compared with conventional-dose 99Tcm-DTPA sodium iodide (NaI) SPECT/CT dynamic renal imaging in evaluating renal function.
Methods A prospective study was conducted on 34 subjects with normal renal function (14 males and 20 females, mean age (45.8±14.2) years, ranging from 18 to 75 years) who underwent both 370 MBq 99Tcm-DTPA CZT SPECT/CT (low-dose group) and 555 MBq 99Tcm-DTPA NaI SPECT/CT (conventional-dose group) dynamic renal imaging at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from May 2024 to May 2025. Clinical and imaging data were collected to compare serum biomarkers (urea, uric acid, creatinine, and β2-microglobulin levels) and renal functional parameters (glomerular filtration rate (GFR), time to peak (TTP), half-excretion time, and 20 min residual rate) between the two groups. Paired t-tests (equal variances assumed) or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used for intergroup comparisons of measurement data. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was employed to assess the consistency of GFR measurements between the two imaging methods. Pearson correlation analysis and Bland-Altman plots were utilized to evaluate the correlation and consistency of the bilateral renal GFR results obtained by the two methods.
Results No statistically significant differences were observed in serum biomarkers (urea, uric acid, creatinine, and β2-microglobulin levels) between the conventional-dose and low-dose groups ((4.79±1.51) mmol/L vs. (5.03±1.26) mmol/L, (361.79±116.43) μmol/L vs. (340.94±102.74) μmol/L, 73.00 (61.50, 86.75) μmol/L vs. 66.00 (59.50, 90.25) μmol/L, 1.52 (1.22, 1.69) mg/L vs. 1.23 (1.07, 1.48) mg/L; t=−1.08, 1.13; Z=0.85, 1.33; all P>0.05). Left kidney GFR ((42.64±9.20) ml/min vs. (41.22±8.70) ml/min; t=1.54, P=0.132); right kidney GFR ((43.22±9.60) ml/min vs. (41.71±7.85) ml/min; t=1.35, P=0.185). Left kidney TTP (2.46 (2.38, 3.46) min vs. 2.45 (2.38, 3.40) min; Z=0.21, P=0.840); right kidney TTP (2.45 (2.38, 4.39) min vs. 2.45 (2.38, 3.42) min; Z=0.61, P=0.553). Left kidney half-excretion time (10.00 (8.25, 13.00) min vs. 11.00 (9.00, 13.00) min; Z=−0.39, P=0.702); right kidney half-excretion time (12.50 (10.00, 14.00) min vs. 12.00 (9.00, 13.00) min; Z=−0.27, P=0.786). Left kidney 20 min residual rate (0.41 (0.38, 0.46) % vs. 0.46 (0.40, 0.48) %; Z=−2.44, P=0.023); right kidney 20 min residual rate (0.45 (0.37, 0.47) % vs. 0.46 (0.39, 0.49) %; Z=−2.25, P=0.031). In summary, there was no statistical significance between the two imaging methods in assessing renal GFR, TTP and half-excretion time. ICC for GFR between the conventional-dose and low-dose groups: left kidney ICC=0.819, right kidney ICC=0.725 (both P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that left kidney r=0.82, right kidney r=0.74 (both P<0.05), the GFR of both kidneys measured by the two imaging methods showed moderate to high correlation. Bland-Altman analysis revealed 95% limits of agreement of −9.13–11.98 for left kidney GFR and −11.24–14.25 for right kidney GFR. These values are all within clinically acceptable ranges.
Conclusion The serum biomakers and renal functional parameters measured by low-dose 99Tcm-DTPA CZT SPECT/CT and conventional-dose 99Tcm-DTPA NaI SPECT/CT imaging have good consistency. Therefore, low-dose 99Tcm-DTPA CZT SPECT/CT can meet the needs of clinical renal function assessment in people with normal renal function and has the advantage of reducing radiation dose.