Renal Excretion of Radioiodide in the Dog

¹ From the Department of Physiology, Cornell University Medical College, New York City

Radioiodide and creatinine clearances were measured simultaneously in dogs. Osmotic diuresis was induced by loading with mannitol, sodium salts of various anions such as chloride, bromide, iodide, nitrate and ferrocyanide, and by the administration of mercurial diuretics. Results of these experiments are compared with those obtained during water diuresis. No evidence for active tubular reabsorption of radioiodide could be observed. Renal tubular reabsorption of I¹³¹ was found to be chiefly determined by the degree of tubular water reabsorption and hence the transtubular diffusion gradient of radioiodide. Nonspecific effects of other anions in the tubular urine may modify passive tubular reabsorption: anions less readily reabsorbed displace I¹³¹ from the urine and depress its renal clearance. Indirect evidence suggests that about 95% of filtered radioiodide is reabsorbed at a tubular site proximal to that of final water reabsorption.