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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...

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.

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...

Anatomy of the Genitourinary System I: Kidneys and Ureters

Anatomy of the Genitourinary System I: Kidneys and Ureters

The upper urinary system comprises two kidneys and two ureters, which are crucial in filtering blood and forming urine.KidneysLocation and Structure:The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs positioned behind the peritoneum on either side of the spine.Kidneys are between the 12th thoracic (T12) and the 3rd lumbar (L3) vertebrae.The position of the liver causes the right kidney to sit slightly lower than the left.Protective Layers:Each kidney is enveloped in a tough, fibrous membrane called the...

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...

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

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

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

Published on: June 21, 2024

Supernumerary kidneys--a rare anatomic variant.

Binit Sureka¹, Mahesh Kumar Mittal, Aliza Mittal

¹Department of Radiodiagnosis, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, 110029, India, binitsureka@hotmail.com.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy : SRA

|May 15, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Supernumerary kidneys, a rare congenital anomaly, are exceptionally uncommon when fused. This study presents rare imaging findings of four kidneys in one patient and three fused supernumerary kidneys in another.

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Area of Science:

Urology
Radiology
Medical Imaging

Background:

Supernumerary kidneys are a rare congenital anomaly.
Fused supernumerary kidneys represent an even rarer variant.

Observation:

The study presents imaging findings in two distinct cases of supernumerary kidneys.
Case 1: A patient with four kidneys visualized during an excretory phase intravenous urogram.
Case 2: A patient with three fused supernumerary kidneys.

Findings:

The first case is one of only four reported instances of four kidneys in a single individual.
The second case illustrates a fused supernumerary kidney, a highly infrequent condition.
Intravenous urography effectively visualized these complex renal anomalies.

Implications:

Highlights the importance of advanced imaging in diagnosing rare congenital anomalies.
Contributes to the limited literature on supernumerary and fused supernumerary kidneys.
Enhances understanding of renal development variations and their radiological presentation.