HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: CJN.02251205v1 1/4/754    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Antiga, L. Articles by Remuzzi, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Antiga, L. Articles by Remuzzi, A.

Computed Tomography Evaluation of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Progression: A Progress Report

Luca Antiga^*, Marina Piccinelli^*, Giorgio Fasolini, Bogdan Ene-Iordache^*, Patrizia Ondei, Simona Bruno, Giuseppe Remuzzi^,, and Andrea Remuzzi^*

^* Biomedical Engineering Department; Kidney Disease Department, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research; Radiology Unit; and Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy

Address correspondence to: Dr. Andrea Remuzzi, Biomedical Engineering Department, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Villa Camozzi, 24020 Ranica (BG), Italy. Phone: +39-035-4535380; Fax: +39-035-4535372; aremuzzi{at}marionegri.it

At the moment, there are no effective therapies to prevent or slow the progression of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Radiologic evaluations are used to monitor volume of renal cysts and parenchyma during disease evolution. Volumetric quantifications based on computed tomography were used to investigate the relation between structural and functional changes in patients with advanced-stage ADPKD. By use of image-processing techniques, volume of kidneys, renal cysts, fully enhanced parenchyma, and faintly contrast-enhanced parenchyma, referred to as intermediate, was estimated. GFR measurements and computed tomography evaluations were repeated 6 mo later. No statistically significant correlations were found between volumes of cysts and parenchyma and intermediate volume and GFR. However, the ratio of intermediate over parenchymal volume strongly correlated with GFR (r = –0.81, P < 0.001). In addition, there were significant correlations between percentage changes in intermediate volume (absolute or relative to parenchyma) and GFR changes during the observation period (r = –0.70 and r = –0.75, P < 0.01). These data support the hypothesis of a significant relation between radiologic appearance of renal structure and functional changes and suggest new ways that renal dysfunction in ADPKD may be predicted. Further work is necessary to determine the nature of faintly contrast-enhanced parenchyma and its role in renal functional loss.