Demonstration by iodine-131-hippurate renography of a marked sensitivity of some transplanted kidneys to volume contraction.

Incidental observations made in a canine renal transplant model in which both native and transplanted kidneys were present revealed that abnormal I-131-iodohippurate renograms were derived from some of the transplanted kidneys in the presence of mild dehydration. In these cases, the renogram normalized with fluid administration. In contrast, the renograms derived from the native kidneys were unaffected by the mild dehydration of the animals. These findings demonstrate a greater sensitivity to dehydration of some transplanted kidneys when compared to normal kidneys.