Abstract

Nephrocalcinosis is present in up to 43% of kidney allograft biopsies at one-year after transplantation and is associated with inferior graft function and poor graft survival. We studied [18F]-sodium fluoride ([18F]-NaF) imaging of microcalcifications in donor kidneys (n = 7) and explanted kidney allografts (n = 13). Three µm paraffin-embedded serial sections were used for histological evaluation of calcification (Alizarin Red; Von Kossa staining) and ex-vivo [18F]-NaF autoradiography. The images were fused to evaluate if microcalcification areas corresponded with [18F]-NaF uptake areas. Based on histological analyses, tubulointerstitial and glomerular microcalcifications were present in 19/20 and 7/20 samples, respectively. Using autoradiography, [18F]-NaF uptake was found in 19/20 samples, with significantly more tracer activity in kidney allograft compared to deceased donor kidney samples (p = 0.019). Alizarin Red staining of active microcalcifications demonstrated good correlation (Spearman’s rho of 0.81, p < 0.001) and Von Kossa staining of consolidated calcifications demonstrated significant but weak correlation (0.62, p = 0.003) with [18F]-NaF activity. This correlation between ex-vivo [18F]-NaF uptake and histology-proven microcalcifications, is the first step towards an imaging method to identify microcalcifications in active nephrocalcinosis. This may lead to better understanding of the etiology of microcalcifications and its impact on kidney transplant function.

Details

Title
[18F]-sodium fluoride autoradiography imaging of nephrocalcinosis in donor kidneys and explanted kidney allografts
Author
Benjamens Stan 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Antunes, Ines F 2 ; Jan-Luuk, Hillebrands 3 ; Reijrink Melanie 4 ; Bulthuis, Marian L, C 3 ; Berger, Stefan P 5 ; Moers Cyril 6 ; de Borst Martin H 5 ; Slart Riemer H J A 7 ; Pol, Robert A 8 

1  University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Groningen, The Netherlands; University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Medical Imaging Center, Groningen, The Netherlands 
2  University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Medical Imaging Center, Groningen, The Netherlands 
3  University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Pathology Section, Groningen, The Netherlands 
4  University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Vascular Medicine, Groningen, The Netherlands 
5  University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Groningen, The Netherlands 
6  University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Groningen, The Netherlands 
7  University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Medical Imaging Center, Groningen, The Netherlands; University of Twente, Department of Biomedical Photonic Imaging, Faculty of Science and Technology, Enschede, The Netherlands (GRID:grid.6214.1) (ISNI:0000 0004 0399 8953) 
8  University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Groningen, The Netherlands (GRID:grid.6214.1) 
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81144-4
ProQuest document ID
2478868485
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.