Diagnostic Ultrasound - Abdomen and Pelvis

Approach to Urinary Tract Sonography
(Left) Normal kidney in
longitudinal oblique view
through the liver shows
relatively hypoechoic
medullary pyramids st.
(Right) Corticomedullary
differentiation may not always
be sonographically apparent,
even in normal kidneys.
Patient habitus and technical
factors may create a relatively
homogeneous cortex and
medulla st, as in this normal
kidney. The echogenic
material centrally is renal
sinus fat and collapsed renal
pelvis.
Diagnoses: Urinary Tract
(Left) This kidney in an elderly
patient exhibits renal atrophy
and cortical thinning . Note
that the kidney is small in size
and the echogenic renal sinus
fat appears expanded ,
replacing the lost parenchyma.
(Right) The renal cortex st is
markedly echogenic compared
with the adjacent liver in
this patient with lupus
nephritis.
(Left) The renal pyramids
are highly echogenic in this
patient with medullary
nephrocalcinosis. (Right) The
kidney is massively
enlarged and the parenchyma
replaced by cysts in this
patient with polycystic kidney
disease.
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