A Pilot Study of Prediction of Creatinine Clearance by Ellipsoid Volumetry of Kidney Using Noncontrast Computed Tomography

INTRODUCTION: Aging is associated with a decline in kidney volume and function. The purpose of this study is to investigate a direct relationship between kidney volume and function in the elderly population and to challenge whether kidney function could be predictable by using the kidney volume. METHODS: We conducted a chart review of 366 patients who underwent abdominal computed tomography (CT) and renal function measurement prior to gastrointestinal surgery. The kidney volume was calculated by the ellipsoid method using a coronal section of noncontrast CT images. RESULTS: The patients were 72.2 ± 13.2 years of age, and 39.0% were female. Their average measured creatinine clearance (mCCr) was 72.0 ± 21.5 mL/min. The average kidney volume was 100.3 ± 27.6 cm(3) in the right kidney and 109.3 ± 30.9 cm(3) in the left. There was a significant positive correlation between the total kidney volume and mCCr. Multivariate regression analysis showed that age, diabetes mellitus, and total kidney volume were dependent variables with which to predict mCCr. The use of total kidney volume predicted mCCr of ≥50 mL/min with moderate accuracy (area under the curve = 0.782; 95% confidence interval = 0.692–0.871). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate a direct relationship between kidney volume and function in the elderly and might provide a pilot method which estimates the renal function using kidney morphology obtained from pre-existing CT images.