The value of Tc-99m DMSA renal scintigraphy in diagnosing renal hydatid cysts: A case report

Echinococcosis, also known as hydatid disease, is a parasitic infection highly endemic in Morocco, commonly affecting the liver, while involvement of the kidneys remains rare. We report a case of a 54-year-old male who was referred to our department for renal scintigraphy for a nonvisualized right kidney with a multivesicular hydatid cyst involving the right hypochondrium and flank, possibly with a renal involvement on the CT scan report. The renal scintigraphy, realised after the injection of 3 mCi of Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal, revealed two uptake spots in the right renal area, an upper polar spot, and a less intense lower polar spot. The examination was completed by SPECT/CT images, which confirmed that the functional renal parenchyma was limited to these two spots and that the cyst was renal in origin. This case highlights the role of Tc-99m DMSA renal scintigraphy, combined with SPECT/CT imaging, in determining the precise location of the remaining functional kidney and the renal origin of hydatid cysts, which is crucial in guiding therapeutic management.