Urinary System Pathologies

Question 1

Duplication

Answer 1

(Duplex kidney) is a common anomaly that may vary from a simple bifid (two parts) pelvis to a completely double pelvis ureter
Treatment: No treatment unless complications occur.

Question 2

Bladder carcinoma

Answer 2

Cancer of the bladder.
Imaging appearance: Calcifications, wall thickening
Treatment: Surgical removal of the bladder and redirection of the ureters into the ileum.

Question 3

Calculi

Answer 3

Kidney stone. *Sometimes found in the ureter or bladder.
Imaging appearance: Radiopaque calcium renal stones
Treatment: Medications to dissolve stone, lithotripsy to break up the stone, cystoscopy to retrieve the stone or laser destruction.

Question 4

Cysts

Answer 4

Fluid filled mass of the kidney
Imaging appearance: Fluid filled cyst, radiopaque rim surrounding lucent cyst
Treatment: Percutaneous drainage

Question 5

Polycystic kidney

Answer 5

Inherited disorder in which multiple cysts cause lobulated enlargement of the kidneys and progressive renal impairment.
Imaging appearance: Lucent lesions, enlarged kidneys, visible cysts.
Treatment: No cure, dialysis, kidney transplant.

Question 6

Renal failure

Answer 6

Low or complete loss of kidney function.
Imaging appearance: Enlarged/small kidneys, cysts, lesions
Treatment: Prevention, medication, dialysis,

Question 7

Adenocarcinoma

Answer 7

Cancer that starts in the glands that line the inside of one of the organs (colon, breasts, esophagus, lungs, pancreas, or prostate)
Imaging appearance: Thickened wall of the organ in question, mass
Treatment: Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy

Question 8

Cystitis

Answer 8

Inflammation of the urinary bladder.
Imaging appearance: Irregularity of bladder wall
Treatment: Antiobiotics or sulfa drugs

Question 9

Ectopic Kidney

Answer 9

Abnormally positioned kidney.

Treatment: Usually no treatment, if infection occurs, treat with antibiotics.

Question 10

Hydronephrosis

Answer 10

welling of a kidney due to a build-up of urine. Occurs when urine cannot drain from the kidney(s) to the bladder from a blockage or obstruction.
Imaging appearance: Enlarged kidney
Treatment: Stent, nephrostomie tube, antibiotics.

Question 11

Hydroureter

Answer 11

Unilateral dilation of the ureter

Imaging appearance: Ureteral diameter of more than 3mm

Question 12

Metastasis

Answer 12

The development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer
Treatment: Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy

Question 13

Prostatic hyperplasia

Answer 13

Enlargement of the prostate caused by an increase in the reproduction rate of its cells.
Imaging appearance: Enlarged prostate, calcification, elevated bladder floor (contrast studies)
Treatment: Alpha blocker, embolization

Question 14

Renal colic

Answer 14

Abdominal pain caused by stones. (*there are other causes such as blood clot, sickle cell disease, etc)
Imaging appearance: May be a stone present
Treatment: varies depending on the cause of the renal colic.

Question 15

Renal hypertension

Answer 15

Elevated blood pressure caused by kidney disease.

Question 16

Vesicoureteral

Answer 16

Condition in which urine flows retrograde (backwards) from the bladder to the ureters/kidneys
Imaging appearance: Reflux present on the imaging of choice (Ultrasound, nuclear medicine, etc)
Treatment: Antibiotic, surgery, endoscopic treatment.