DMSA scintigraphy in renal duplex system.

During a 4-year period 40 children (13 boys and 27 girls) with renal duplex system were examined with DMSA scintigraphy. The age at the investigation varied from 18 days to 9 years, mean 2.5 years. Duplicated system existed in 52 kidneys, bilaterally in 12 cases, right-sided in 10 and left-sided in 18 cases. The renal DMSA scintigraphy of the 52 duplicated kidneys revealed insignificant parenchymal damage in 19 kidneys. Moderate parenchymal damage existed in 10 kidneys. In the remaining 23 kidneys, severely deteriorated function of the upper moiety was found in 15 cases and of the lower pole in 9 cases, as both moieties were affected in one kidney. The function of the severely deteriorated moiety varied between 0% and 14%, mean 5.7% of the total renal function. All the 23 cases with severely deteriorated function were operated upon, 22 with heminephrectomy and one with nephrectomy. The assessment of parenchymal function of the separate parts of the kidney with duplex system by DMSA scintigraphy is of great value in the decision of management and surgical procedure.