Nathan S. Artz1,
Elizabeth A. Sadowski2, David J. Niles1, Karl K. Vigen1,
Andrew L. Wentland1, Arjang Djamali3, Thomas M. Grist1,2,
Sean B. Fain1,2
1Medical
Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; 2Radiology, University
of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; 3Nephrology, University of
Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
Monitoring renal function safely and non-invasively is important in prolonging allograft function. This study measured and compared renal perfusion in thirteen donor-recipient (DR) pairs before and after kidney transplantation using a non-contrast, arterial spin labeling (ASL) MR perfusion technique. Mean cortical perfusion decreased from baseline in the donors (pre-transplantation) to 3 months post-transplantation in the recipients (p=0.003), possibly due to loss of function or use of anti-rejection medications in the recipients. There is also a trend of increased perfusion in these kidneys, as well as in the donors remaining kidneys, between 3 months and 1 year after transplantation.