Tomographic imaging - SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) uses gamma radiation emitted by a radiopharmaceutical substance for scanning of the kidney, most frequently 99m Tc-DMSA, is used. SPECT makes it possible to obtain qualitative and quantitative information on pathological processes in tissues without the interfering effect of the activity of the radiopharmaceutical in tissues neighbouring with the selected area of interest. The group of patients was formed by 10 children (7 girls and 3 boys, age 3 - 17 years, mean 9 years) with the following diagnoses: vesicoureteral reflux in six children, infections of the urinary pathways in neonatal age 1x, pelvis duplex et ureter fissus + stenosis urethrae 1x, hydronephrosis 1x, pyelonep hritis chronica 1x. All children had normal biochemical and haematological values. The examination was made on a PRISM apparatus of Picker Co. 2 - 3 hours after administration of 99m Tc-DMSA. The administered activity was according to body weight 185 - 400 MBq. The functional renal volume was evaluated in cm 3 , the percentage of administered activity accumulated in cm 3 of functional parenchyma (%ID/cm 3 ) and the renal uptake in %. The imaging proper of the parenchyma was visualized in coronary, sagittal and transverse sections, moreover in the three-dimensional (3D) and three-di- mensional double threshold imaging. The advantage of SPECT in kidneys is the possibility of quantification and more instructive imaging of the parenchymatous lesion than can be obtained by static renal scintigraphy.

        Key words: quantitative SPECT of kidneys