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External Anatomy of the Kidney

External Anatomy of the Kidney

The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs in the human body that play a critical role in maintaining overall health. They filter out waste products from the blood, regulate blood pressure, maintain electrolyte balance, and stimulate the production of red blood cells.
The kidneys are located in the retroperitoneal space on either side of the vertebral column, protected posteriorly by the 11th and 12th ribs. The right kidney sits slightly lower than the left owing to the presence of the liver...

Nephrons

Nephrons

The kidneys are intricate organs with millions of working units known as nephrons. Each nephron features two major structures: the renal corpuscle, which facilitates blood plasma filtration, and the renal tubule, which handles the glomerular filtrate. Blood supply is directly linked to the nephrons. The renal corpuscle consists of the glomerulus, a capillary network, and the Bowman's capsule, a double-walled epithelial structure that encases the glomerulus. The filtering of blood plasma happens...

Internal Anatomy of the Kidney

Internal Anatomy of the Kidney

The kidneys are essential organs in the human body, performing a myriad of tasks that maintain homeostasis and overall health.
Anatomical Position and Dimensions
The kidneys are retroperitoneal organs positioned against the posterior abdominal wall on either side of the spine, roughly between the twelfth thoracic and third lumbar vertebrae. Each kidney is typically 10-12 cm long, 5-6 cm wide, and 3-4 cm thick, weighing about 150 grams.
Renal Cortex
The outermost region of the kidney is the...

Kidney Structure

Kidney Structure

The kidneys are two large bean-shaped organs located in the upper abdomen. They filter the blood several times a day to remove toxins and rebalance water and electrolytes of the circulatory system via the renal veins. The kidneys receive blood directly from the heart via the renal arteries. These arteries enter the kidney at the hilum, the concave surface of the bean, where they branch and divide into smaller vessels and capillaries.

Renal Corpuscle

Renal Corpuscle

The glomerulus and Bowman's capsule are two essential components of the nephron, which is the functional unit of the kidney. These microscopic structures play a critical role in the process of blood filtration to produce urine.
Glomerulus: Structure and Function
The glomerulus is a tiny, intricate network of capillaries located at the beginning of the nephron. It's enveloped by the Bowman's capsule and receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole, which divides into numerous capillaries...

Kidney Transplant II: Surgical Procedure

Kidney Transplant II: Surgical Procedure

Preoperative ManagementThe primary goals of preoperative management in kidney transplantation are to optimize the patient’s metabolic state and prepare them for surgery through diet adjustments, necessary dialysis, and tailored medical treatment. This phase also involves comprehensive infection screening and patient education about the surgical procedure and postoperative care to improve outcomes and adherence.Medical ManagementA comprehensive evaluation is required for both the living donor...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Point-of-Care Kidney and Genitourinary Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition

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Published on: June 21, 2024

Epidermoid cyst in the kidney.

Saral Desai¹, Sudeep Thakur, Santosh Menon

¹Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India. saraldesai@gmail.com

|March 15, 2011

Summary

This case report details an extremely rare kidney epidermoid cyst found in a 74-year-old man presenting with painless hematuria. Surgical removal confirmed the benign nature of this unusual renal finding.

Area of Science:

Nephrology
Surgical Pathology
Urologic Oncology

Background:

Kidney cysts are common, but epidermoid cysts are exceptionally rare renal neoplasms.
Painless hematuria can be a presenting symptom of various renal pathologies, including rare cystic lesions.

Observation:

A 74-year-old male presented with painless hematuria, leading to radiologic detection of a renal cyst suspicious for neoplasm.
Surgical nephrectomy was performed, and the specimen revealed a 6-cm, purely cystic lesion without solid components.

Findings:

Histopathological examination definitively diagnosed the renal cyst as an epidermoid cyst.
This diagnosis was confirmed after thorough review of the surgical specimen and relevant literature.

Implications:

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This case highlights the importance of considering rare cystic lesions in the differential diagnosis of renal masses presenting with hematuria.
Understanding the potential origins of renal epidermoid cysts may improve diagnostic accuracy and patient management strategies.