Preliminary results of [99mTc]OKT3 scintigraphy to evaluate acute rejection in renal transplants

Transplant Proc. 2004 Nov;36(9):2664-7. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2004.09.085.

Abstract

Allograft rejection can be classified as humoral or cellular mechanisms. Accurate diagnosis of acute rejection remains a formidable challenge in renal transplantation. The need to avoid unnecessary immunosuppressive therapy to treat this complication has led to a continued search for improved diagnostic methods to evaluate and identify postoperative episodes. Here we evaluated the use of [(99m)Tc]OKT3 scintigraphy to diagnose acute rejection in renal transplants. Among 22 patients undergoing renal transplant, we observed an increased [(99m)Tc]OKT3 kidney uptake with the passage of time in patients with rejecting allografts. These findings agreed with those of biopsies. We suggest the [(99m)Tc]OKT3 scans may be useful for the monitoring of renal transplants to detect acute rejection.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Creatinine / blood
  • Graft Rejection / diagnostic imaging*
  • Graft Rejection / pathology
  • Humans
  • Kidney Transplantation / immunology*
  • Kidney Transplantation / pathology
  • Muromonab-CD3* / pharmacokinetics
  • Radioisotopes / pharmacokinetics
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Reference Values
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Technetium* / pharmacokinetics

Substances

  • Muromonab-CD3
  • Radioisotopes
  • Technetium
  • Creatinine