Radioisotopic renography. Diagnosis of renal arterial disease in hypertensive patients.

HE feasibility of surgical relief of hypertensioni associated with renal arterv stenosis has been clearly established.'-` In the -preoperative diagnosis of seconidary hyperten sioni of this type, funietioni studies anid arteriogoraphy have been the oinlv available procedures. However, 7renal arteriography and studies of separated renal functions after eystoscopic examination and bilateral ureteral catheterization are timne-consuming and expensive, they require hospitalization, and they are discomforting and also somewhat hazardous for the patient. It is not possible in our practice to uindertake such studies in all patients with hypertension whom we might consider potential surgical candidates. As for the 1use of urographic teClniies alone, thev have nlot proved satisfactory for screeniing hypertenisive patients for evidence of renal artery disease.6 The need tor a diagnostic procedure that would permnit the, accurate screening of large n-um-bers of hypertensive patieints caused uls to unldertake a critical appraisal of the isotope renograin prevTiously described by Taplin and assoeiates.7 Our criteria for the selection of patients for study lhave been previouslv (lescribed. ,