Prenatal diagnoses in unilateral empty renal fossa

Area of Science:

• Medical imaging
• Prenatal diagnosis
• Pediatric nephrology

Background:

• Unilateral empty renal fossa is a rare prenatal finding.
• Associated anomalies like ectopic kidney and renal agenesis are not well-documented in normal fetuses.
• The role of single kidneys in utero is often considered nonvital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe six cases of unilateral empty renal fossa diagnosed via obstetric sonography.
• To report novel prenatal findings of ectopic kidney, cross-fused ectopic kidney, and unilateral renal agenesis in otherwise normal fetuses.
• To investigate compensatory hypertrophy in single kidneys during fetal development.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of obstetric sonography scans.
• Diagnosis of unilateral empty renal fossa.
• Documentation of associated renal anomalies.
• Assessment of fetal development and kidney size.

Main Results:

• Six cases of unilateral empty renal fossa were identified.
• Reported anomalies included ectopic kidney, cross-fused ectopic kidney, and unilateral renal agenesis.
• These anomalies were observed in fetuses without other significant abnormalities.
• Compensatory hypertrophy was noted in the single kidneys present.

Conclusions:

• Obstetric sonography is effective in diagnosing unilateral empty renal fossa.
• Ectopic kidney, cross-fused ectopic kidney, and unilateral renal agenesis represent rare prenatal findings in normal fetuses.
• Single fetal kidneys can exhibit compensatory hypertrophy, indicating functional adaptation in utero.