Urogenital ImagingNephropathy, medical
a generic term for
renal impairment, resulting from diseases which do not have a surgically treatable aetiology. Causes of medical nephropathy include glomerulonephritis, collagen
vascular disease, diabetes and nephrotoxic agents.
In most cases, there are no specific radiological findings. The imaging features depend upon the cause of the renal disease and the degree and duration of renal insufficiency. In acute failure, both kidneys are either of normal size or can be enlarged. By contrast, in chronic renal insufficiency, the kidneys are usually small in size (exceptions are polycystic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, multiple myeloma, renal amyloidosis) but the outline may be altered by parenchymal scars with deformity of the renal calyces.
On CT scans, decreased enhancement and decreased excretion of contrast medium may indicate reduced renal function. Lack of differentiation between the cortex and medulla in dynamic CT studies is seen in renal failure.
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