Electron microscopic studies were made on renal tissue obtained by percutaneous biopsy from 181 patients with renal disease. The clinical renal categories included the nephrotic syndrome, acute hemorrhagic glomerulonephritis (GN), acute renal failure, lupus GN, diabetic nephropathy, acute and chronic interstitial nephritis, hypertension, hypokalemic nephropathy, recurrent hematuria, and persistent asymptomatic proteinuria. Renal tissue was studied by light and electron microscopy and in some patients by immunopathology.
Electron microscopy was of additional clinical value above that of light microscopy in approximately 12% of the patients. Ultrastructural study had its greatest value to patients with the nephrotic syndrome, poststreptococcal GN, lupus GN,