Low-Dose CT Scans Show Promise in Evaluating Kidney Volume in Polycystic Kidney Disease

• Study Cohort: The study included 24 ADPKD patients with a mean age of 48.4 years, with approximately 46% being men.
  
• Volume Consistency: The study found a high degree of consistency between kidney volume measurements obtained from standard-dose and low-dose CT scans. The R2 value for volume correlation was 0.995.
• Bland-Altman Plot: Except for one case with a large kidney volume, the measurements from both types of CT scans were consistent. This indicates the reliability of low-dose CT scans for kidney volume assessment.
• Coefficient of Variation and ICC: The coefficient of variation was 0.02, and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.998, demonstrating good agreement between the two types of scans.
• Radiation Dose: Standard-dose CT scans had a radiation dose (dose-length product) of 229 mGy·cm, while low-dose CT scans reduced this dose to 50 mGy·cm, representing a substantial reduction of approximately 20% of the radiation exposure.

The study's findings suggest that low-dose CT scans can effectively replace standard-dose scans in assessing kidney volume in ADPKD patients. This not only provides a less invasive option but also significantly reduces radiation exposure, a crucial consideration for patient safety.

Reference:

Yoo, J., Kim, J. up, Kim, J., Jeon, S., Song, Y.-J., Choi, K.-H., Kim, S.-H., Yoon, J.-W., & Kim, H. Non-contrast low-dose CT can be used for volumetry of ADPKD. BMC Nephrology,2023;24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-023-03359-z