Estimation of nephron number in living humans by combining unenhanced computed tomography with biopsy-based stereology.

ABSTRACT: Methods for estimating nephron number in a clinical setting may be useful for predicting renal outcomes. This study aimed to establish such a method using unenhanced computed tomography (CT) and biopsy-based stereology. Patients or living kidney donors simultaneously subjected to enhanced and unenhanced CT examinations were randomly assigned to development and validation groups. The enhanced CT-measured arterial phase and the venous phase images of kidneys were regarded as the true values for cortical volume and parenchymal volume, respectively. Linear multiple regression analysis was used to create models for estimating cortical volume using explanatory variables including unenhanced CT-measured parenchymal volume. Nephron number was determined as the product of cortical volume and the gl

SUBMITTER: Sasaki T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6779756 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature