Radiological kidney size in childhood

Abstract

Kidney length (KL), renal area and renal parenchymal area were measured on i.v. urograms of 255 children without apparent kidney disease age 0 to 14 years. These parameters were compared with age, body height, body surface area and the distance between the 1st and 4th lumbar vertebral body. In addition, renal parenchymal thickness was determined at the upper and lower poles. Mean values for normal KL were significantly greater on the left side than on the right side requiring separate growth charts. A mean increase in KL of 6.3 mm for the left and 6.0 mm for the right kidney was calculated for a change of 10 cm body height. A small kidney is defined by a KL below--2 SD for the corresponding body height and/or a quotient of right KL/left KL outside +/- 2 SD from the mean value. Localised loss of renal parenchyma is reflected by an increased or decreased quotient of the upper to the lower polar thickness and reduction of total kidney mass by a diminished bipolar parenchymal thickness related to body height.

Genetic and environmental variance of renal parenchymal thickness: a twin study

“…The left RPT was greater (eg, hypertrophied column of Bertin, persistence of fetal lobation, and dromedary hump, which are usually present at the middle third portion of the left kidney), and the greatest RPT was measured on that side. This interrenal difference has been previously shown (8,9,20).…”

Sonographic measurements and appearance of normal kidneys in children

“…Renal dimensions have been measured most often on excretory urograms [3,4]. Recently, sonography has been used for the evaluation of renal dimensions [5][6][7].…”

Renal Parenchymal Thickness in Children Measured by Computed Tomography

“…Several studies have estimated the size of the normal kidney in children on sonograms or urographie films [1][2][3][4], At ultrasonography, measurements could not be re ferred to an obvious 'internal' standard [1], and no dis tinction was made between the functional renal parenchy ma and the peripelvic fat or the calyces. At urography, measurements were obtained from children with sus pected renal disease [4], In this study, data were selected from children undergoing abdominal CT examination with no evidence of renal disease.…”

“…The size of the normal kidney has been adequately studied in children by means of ultrasonography and intravenous urography [1][2][3][4]. Kidney length and area measurements are useful in the interpretation of renal images but, in the evaluation of renal damage in children with vesico-ureteric reflux, measurements of parenchy mal thickness at urography are more reliable [5][6][7][8].…”