The Urinary Tract
pheochromocytoma
a benign, solid adrenal tumor associated with uncontrollable hypertension
neurogenic bladder
a bladder that is poorly functioning secondary to any type of neurological disorder
creatinine
a chemical waste molecule that is generated from muscle metabolism and excreted in the urin
chronic pyelonephritis
a chronic inflammation of the kidney(s)
tubo ovarian abscess
a pelvic abscess involving the fallopian tubes and ovaries that is often caused by pelvic inflammatory disease
hyperkalemia
abnormally high levels of potassium in the blood
twinkle sign
an artifact noted as an increased color Doppler signal posterior to a kidney stone
oliguria
scant or decreased urine output
renal pyramids
Cone-shaped structures located within the renal medulla that contains part of the nephron
renal adenoma
a benign renal mass
Oncocytoma
a benign renal tumor that is often found in men in their 60s
renal hematoma
a collection of blood on or around the kidney typically associated with some form of trauma
lymphocele
a collection of lymphatic fluid
angiomyolipoma
a common benign renal tumor that consists of a network of blood vessels, muscle, and fat
retroperitoneal fibrosis
a disease characterized by the buildup of fibrous tissue within the retroperitoneum; this mass may involve the abdominal aorta, IVC, ureters, sacrum
malaise
a feeling of unease or depression
peritoneal dialysis
a form of dialysis that uses a solution that is instilled into the abdomen; uses diffusion and osmosis to filter waste products from the blood
nephrotic syndrome
a kidney disorder caused by damage to the glomeruli, which results in excess amounts of protein in the urine and the swelling of the ankles, face, and feet due to accumulation of excess water
pelvic kidney
a kidney located within the pelvis
staghorn calculus
a large urinary stone that completely fills and takes the shape of the renal pelvis
transitional cell carcinoma
a malignant tumor of the urinary tract that is often found within the urinary bladder or within the renal pelvis
blood urea nitrorgen
a measure of the amount of nitrogen in the blood in the form of urea
nuclear cystogram
a nuclear medicine exam on the urinary bladder and ureters
renal:aorta ratio
a ratio calculated by dividing the highest renal artery velocity by the highest aortic velocity obtained at the level of the renal arteries
multicystic dysplastic kidney disease
a renal disease thought to be caused by an early renal obstruction; leads to the development of multiple noncommunicating cysts of varying sizes in the renal fossa
renal colic
a sharp pain in the lower back that radiates into the groin and is typically associated with the passage of a urinary stone through the ureter
papillary projection
a small protrusion of tissue
prune belly syndrome
a syndrome that is a consequence of the abdominal wall musculature being stretched by an extremely enlarged urinary bladder
tuberous sclerosis
a systemic disorder that leads to the development of tumors within various organs
Subureteral Teflon injection
a treatment method for vesicoureteral reflux disease that uses a bulking agent to elevate the ureteral orifice and distal ureter; allowing for the normal flow of urine from the ureter into the bladder
urachus
a tubular structure that is a remnant of embryonic development, which extends from the umbilicus to the apex of the bladder
ureterocele
an abnormality in which the distal ureter projects into the urinary bladder
megacystis
an abnormally enlarged urinary bladder
perinephric abscess
an abscess that surrounds the kidney
nephrocalcinosis
an accumulation of calcium within the renal parenchyma
renal infarction
an area in the kidney that becomes nephrotic because of lack of oxygen
reverberation artifact
an artifact that results from a sound wave interacting with a large acoustic interface that repeatedly bounces back and forth from the interface to the transducer
megaureter
an enlarged ureter; can be congenital or acquired
lactate dehydrogenase
an enzyme found within the blood that may be used to monitor renal function; tumor marker
renin
an enzyme produced by the kidneys that helps regulate blood pressure
azotemia
an excess of urea or other nitrogenous compounds in the blood
columns of Bertin
an extension of the renal cortex located between the renal pyramids
glomerulonephritis
an infection of the kidney glomeruli
Acute pyelonephritis
an inflammation of the kidney(s)
autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
an inherited disease that results in the development of renal, liver, and pancreatic cysts late in life; also referred to as adult polycystic kidney disease
infantile polycystic kidney disease
an inherited renal disease that results in bilateral enlargement of the fetal kidneys and microscopic renal cysts; AKA autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease
autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease
an inherited renal disease that results in bilateral enlargement of the fetal kidneys and microscopic renal cysts; also referred to as infantile polycystic kidney disease
bladder diverticulum
an outpouching of the urinary bladder wall
renal vein thrombosis
blood clot in the renal vein
gross hematuria
blood within the urine that is visible by the naked eye
corticomedullary differentiation
The ability to sonographically distinguish between the normal cortex and medullary portions of the kidney
acute tubular necrosis
damage to the tubule cells within the kidneys that result in renal failure
Hypovolemia
decreased blood volume
hydroureter
distention of the ureter with fluid because of obstruction
moiety
division of the duplex collecting system, as in the upper pole moiety and the lower pole moiety
nocturia
excessive urination at night
Hemodyalysis
form of dialysis that utilizes a machine that essentially acts as a kidney whereby it extracts the patients blood, filters it, and returns the filtered blood to the patient
nephron
functional unit of the kidney
exophytic
growing outward
cystitis
inflammation of the bladder
posterior urethral valves
irregular thin membranes of tissue located within the male posterior urethra that do not allow urine to exit the urethra
ureteral jets
jets of urine that are the result of urine being forced into the urinary bladder from the ureters; can be demonstrated with color Doppler imaging
end-stage renal disease
medical condition in which the kidneys fail to function adequately, thus requiring the use of dialysis
trabeculae
muscular bundles
renal artery stenosis
narrowing of renal artery
dysuria
painful or difficult urination
bacteriuria
presence of bacteria in the urine
proteinuria
protein in the urine
pyuria
pus in the urine
dirty shadowing
shadowing seen posterior to gas or air; AKA ring-down artifact
acute renal failure
sudden loss/decrease of kidney function
cortical nephrocalcinosis
the accumulation of calcium within the cortex of the kidney
medullary nephrocalcinosis
the accumulation of calcium within the medulla of the renal parenchyma
amyloidosis
the accumulation of the abnormal protein amyloid in the kidneys and other organs that can lead to organ damage, as well as renal failure
trigone of the urinary bladder
the area within the urinary bladder where the two ureteral orifices and urethral orifice are located
renal cell carcinoma
the carcinoma of the kidney; AKA hypernephroma
tardus parvus
the combination of a slow systolic upstroke and a decreased systolic velocity
pyonephrosis
the condition of having pus within the collecting system of the kidney
congenital hydronephrosis
the dilation of the renal collecting system at birth
hydronephrosis
the dilation of the renal collecting system resulting from the obstruction of the flow of urine from the kidney(s) to the bladder; AKA pelvocaliectasis or pelvicaliectasis
Gerota fascia
the fibrous envelope of tissue that surrounds the kidney and adrenal gland
emphysematous pyelonephritis
the formation of air within the kidney parenchyma secondary to bacterial infiltration
chronic renal failure
the gradual decrease in renal function over time
renal medulla
the inner part of the renal parenchyma that is responsible for absorption
ureteropelvic junction
the junction of the ureter and renal pelvis
ureterovesicular junction
the junction of the ureter and urinary bladder
nephroblastoma
the most common solid malignant pediatric abdominal mass; AKA Wilm's tumor
detrusor muscle
the muscle that controls the appropriate emptying of the urinary bladder
renal sinus
the portion of the kidney containing the minor calices, major calices, renal pelvis, and infundibula
renunculi
the two embryonic parenchymal tissue masses that combine to create the kidney
nephrolithiasis
the urinary stones located within the kidney; kidney stones
renal hemangioma
a benign renal mass that consists of blood vessels
medullary sponge kidney
a congenital disorder characterized by the accumulation of calcium within abnormally dilated collecting ducts located within the medulla
Acquired renal cystic disease
a cystic disease of the kidney that is often the result of chronic hemodialysis
renal lipoma
a fatty tumor on the kidney
Henoch-Schonlein Purpura
an autoimmune disorder and form of vasculitis associated with purple spots on the skin, gastrointestinal complications, joint pain, and possibly kidney failure; mostly occurs in childhood
benign prostatic hypertrophy
benign enlargement of the prostate gland
hypernephroma
carcinoma of the kidney; AKA renal cell carcinoma
cortical thinning
thinning of renal cortex
renal cortex
the outer part of the renal parenchyma that is responsible for filtration