[18F]-sodium fluoride autoradiography imaging of nephrocalcinosis in donor kidneys and explanted kidney allografts

• Published in: Scientific reports 2021-01, Vol.11 (1), p.1841-1841, Article 1841
• Main Authors: Benjamens, Stan, Antunes, Ines F., Hillebrands, Jan-Luuk, Reijrink, Melanie, Bulthuis, Marian L. C., Berger, Stefan P., Moers, Cyril, de Borst, Martin H., Slart, Riemer H. J. A., Pol, Robert A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 692/4022/272; 692/53/2421; Allografts; Autoradiography; Calcification; Calcinosis; Etiology; Fluorides; Histology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Kidney diseases; Kidney transplantation; Kidneys; multidisciplinary; Paraffin; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sodium; Sodium fluoride; Transplants & implants
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81144-4

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 [ 18 F]-sodium fluoride ([ 18 F]-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 [ 18 F]-NaF autoradiography. The images were fused to evaluate if microcalcification areas corresponded with [ 18 F]-NaF uptake areas. Based on histological analyses, tubulointerstitial and glomerular microcalcifications were present in 19/20 and 7/20 samples, respectively. Using autoradiography, [ 18 F]-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