Vasculature mimicking hydronephrosis on greyscale ultrasound
Fluid (e.g. blood, urine, serous fluid in cysts) is an excellent transmitter of sound waves and appears black (= anechoic) on a sonogram. On greyscale images, prominent vasculature or vascular […]
Dromedary hump
Dromedary hump is a prominent focal bulge on the lateral border of the left kidney caused by splenic impression, which can mimic renal neoplasm. It is similar in appearance to […]
Renal cyst: simple or complex?
The diagnosis of a simple benign renal cyst on ultrasound requires the presence of all the following findings: a well-defined, roundish, anechoic structure, imperceptible near wall and thin echogenic far […]
Medullary nephrocalcinosis
Nephrocalcinosis: by default, we apply this term to ‘medullary’ calcification (= medullary nephrocalcinosis), though it can occur in renal cortex (e.g. in renal cortical necrosis of pregnancy or chronic active […]
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is relatively a common genetic disorder, occurring in approximately 1 in every 400 – 1000 live births. It is generally an adult-onset, multisystem disorder […]
Parapelvic cyst mimicking hydronephrosis
Parapelvic cysts can mimic hydronephrosis because of their anechoic nature (like urine, clear fluid in the cysts is also black on ultrasound) and close proximity to the collecting system. Hydronephrosis […]
Increased renal cortical echogenicity does not always indicate chronic kidney disease
Echogenicity of the renal cortex relative to liver or spleen can be evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively, though qualitative method is commonly used. Normal renal cortex is usually hypoechoic (less […]
Bilateral hydronephrosis with a stone in the urinary bladder
In the first image, you can see bilateral severe hydronephrosis as evidenced by the dilated collecting system filled with anechoic (black) urine exerting pressure on the renal parenchyma. Second image […]
Hydronephrosis
On the sonogram, hydronephrosis appears as branching, interconnected areas of decreased echogenicity (anechoic or black in general, indicating the presence of fluid) in the renal collecting system. The source of […]