Includes horseshoe or pancake kidney; crossed fused ectopia; pelvic, iliac/pelvic (ptotic/mobile), & thoracic kidneys
Definitions
Normal renal tissue in abnormal location
Results from abnormal ascent & rotation of fetal kidney
Kidneys form at sacral level & ascend to L1 by term; renal pelvis is initially directed anteriorly but rotates 90° medially as it ascends
Malpositioned kidneys are more susceptible to trauma, iatrogenic injury, obstruction, infection, & stones
High incidence of multiple renal arteries & veins
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
Fluoroscopic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Angiographic Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
Selected References
Asanad K et al: Grade IV renal laceration in a 13-year-old boy with cross-fused renal ectopia. Urology. 145:243-6, 2020
Kini S et al: Renal anomalies and microtia: determining the clinical utility of screening affected children. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 133:109957, 2020
Sarhan O et al: Crossed fused renal ectopia: diagnosis and prognosis as a single-center experience. J Pediatr Surg. 56(9):1632-7, 2020
Loganathan AK et al: Crossed fused renal ectopia in children: a review of clinical profile, surgical challenges, and outcome. J Pediatr Urol. 15(4):315-21, 2019
Lomoro P et al: Pancake kidney, a rare and often misdiagnosed malformation: a case report and radiological differential diagnosis. J Ultrasound. 22(2):207-13, 2019
Taghavi K et al: The horseshoe kidney: surgical anatomy and embryology. J Pediatr Urol. 12(5):275-80, 2016
Ratola A et al: Crossed renal ectopia without fusion: an uncommon cause of abdominal mass. Case Rep Nephrol. 2015:679342, 2015
Szmigielska A et al: Rare renal ectopia in children - intrathoracic ectopic kidney. Dev Period Med. 19(2):186-8, 2015
Kesan K et al: Solitary crossed renal ectopia with vesicoureteric reflux presenting with impaired renal function in a neonate. J Clin Neonatol. 2(3):140-2, 2013
Schreuder MF: Unilateral anomalies of kidney development: why is left not right? Kidney Int. 80(7):740-5, 2011
Oh KY et al: Prenatal diagnosis of renal developmental anomalies associated with an empty renal fossa. Ultrasound Q. 26(4):233-40, 2010
Schwartz MJ et al: Pelvic cake kidney with a solitary ureter and bilateral congenital absence of the vas deferens. Urology. 75(1):170-2, 2010
van den Bosch CM et al: Urological and nephrological findings of renal ectopia. J Urol. 183(4):1574-8, 2010
Glodny B et al: Kidney fusion anomalies revisited: clinical and radiological analysis of 209 cases of crossed fused ectopia and horseshoe kidney. BJU Int. 103(2):224-35, 2009
Arena F et al: Is a complete urological evaluation necessary in all newborns with asymptomatic renal ectopia? Int J Urol. 14(6):491-5, 2007
Sözübir S et al: Ectopic thoracic kidney in a child with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Eur J Pediatr Surg. 15(3):206-9, 2005
Guarino N et al: The incidence of associated urological abnormalities in children with renal ectopia. J Urol. 172(4 Pt 2):1757-9; discussion 1759, 2004
Yuksel A et al: Sonographic findings of fetuses with an empty renal fossa and normal amniotic fluid volume. Fetal Diagn Ther. 19(6):525-32, 2004
Watanabe T: Reflux nephropathy in a patient with crossed renal ectopia with fusion. Pediatr Nephrol. 17(8):617-9, 2002
Buyukdereli G et al: Tc-99m DMSA and Tc-99m DTPA imaging in the diagnosis of crossed renal ectopia. Clin Nucl Med. 26(3):257-8, 2001
Jefferson KP et al: Thoracic kidney: a rare form of renal ectopia. J Urol. 165(2):504, 2001
Kumar A et al: Live donation of ectopic kidneys: a feasible option under compelling circumstances. J Urol. 165(2):505-6, 2001
Rinat C et al: Familial inheritance of crossed fused renal ectopia. Pediatr Nephrol. 16(3):269-70, 2001
Wang RY et al: Syndromic ear anomalies and renal ultrasounds. Pediatrics. 108(2):E32, 2001
Pérez LM et al: A rare form of crossed-fused renal ectopia: fusion anterior to the left orthotopic kidney. Urology. 54(4):742-3, 1999
Lezcano L et al: Crossed renal ectopia associated with maternal alkaloid cocaine abuse: a case report. J Perinatol. 14(3):230-3, 1994
Related Anatomy
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Pathology
Clinical Issues
TERMINOLOGY
Synonyms
Includes horseshoe or pancake kidney; crossed fused ectopia; pelvic, iliac/pelvic (ptotic/mobile), & thoracic kidneys
Definitions
Normal renal tissue in abnormal location
Results from abnormal ascent & rotation of fetal kidney
Kidneys form at sacral level & ascend to L1 by term; renal pelvis is initially directed anteriorly but rotates 90° medially as it ascends
Malpositioned kidneys are more susceptible to trauma, iatrogenic injury, obstruction, infection, & stones
High incidence of multiple renal arteries & veins
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
Fluoroscopic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Angiographic Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
Selected References
Asanad K et al: Grade IV renal laceration in a 13-year-old boy with cross-fused renal ectopia. Urology. 145:243-6, 2020
Kini S et al: Renal anomalies and microtia: determining the clinical utility of screening affected children. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 133:109957, 2020
Sarhan O et al: Crossed fused renal ectopia: diagnosis and prognosis as a single-center experience. J Pediatr Surg. 56(9):1632-7, 2020
Loganathan AK et al: Crossed fused renal ectopia in children: a review of clinical profile, surgical challenges, and outcome. J Pediatr Urol. 15(4):315-21, 2019
Lomoro P et al: Pancake kidney, a rare and often misdiagnosed malformation: a case report and radiological differential diagnosis. J Ultrasound. 22(2):207-13, 2019
Taghavi K et al: The horseshoe kidney: surgical anatomy and embryology. J Pediatr Urol. 12(5):275-80, 2016
Ratola A et al: Crossed renal ectopia without fusion: an uncommon cause of abdominal mass. Case Rep Nephrol. 2015:679342, 2015
Szmigielska A et al: Rare renal ectopia in children - intrathoracic ectopic kidney. Dev Period Med. 19(2):186-8, 2015
Kesan K et al: Solitary crossed renal ectopia with vesicoureteric reflux presenting with impaired renal function in a neonate. J Clin Neonatol. 2(3):140-2, 2013
Schreuder MF: Unilateral anomalies of kidney development: why is left not right? Kidney Int. 80(7):740-5, 2011
Oh KY et al: Prenatal diagnosis of renal developmental anomalies associated with an empty renal fossa. Ultrasound Q. 26(4):233-40, 2010
Schwartz MJ et al: Pelvic cake kidney with a solitary ureter and bilateral congenital absence of the vas deferens. Urology. 75(1):170-2, 2010
van den Bosch CM et al: Urological and nephrological findings of renal ectopia. J Urol. 183(4):1574-8, 2010
Glodny B et al: Kidney fusion anomalies revisited: clinical and radiological analysis of 209 cases of crossed fused ectopia and horseshoe kidney. BJU Int. 103(2):224-35, 2009
Arena F et al: Is a complete urological evaluation necessary in all newborns with asymptomatic renal ectopia? Int J Urol. 14(6):491-5, 2007
Sözübir S et al: Ectopic thoracic kidney in a child with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Eur J Pediatr Surg. 15(3):206-9, 2005
Guarino N et al: The incidence of associated urological abnormalities in children with renal ectopia. J Urol. 172(4 Pt 2):1757-9; discussion 1759, 2004
Yuksel A et al: Sonographic findings of fetuses with an empty renal fossa and normal amniotic fluid volume. Fetal Diagn Ther. 19(6):525-32, 2004
Watanabe T: Reflux nephropathy in a patient with crossed renal ectopia with fusion. Pediatr Nephrol. 17(8):617-9, 2002
Buyukdereli G et al: Tc-99m DMSA and Tc-99m DTPA imaging in the diagnosis of crossed renal ectopia. Clin Nucl Med. 26(3):257-8, 2001
Jefferson KP et al: Thoracic kidney: a rare form of renal ectopia. J Urol. 165(2):504, 2001
Kumar A et al: Live donation of ectopic kidneys: a feasible option under compelling circumstances. J Urol. 165(2):505-6, 2001
Rinat C et al: Familial inheritance of crossed fused renal ectopia. Pediatr Nephrol. 16(3):269-70, 2001
Wang RY et al: Syndromic ear anomalies and renal ultrasounds. Pediatrics. 108(2):E32, 2001
Pérez LM et al: A rare form of crossed-fused renal ectopia: fusion anterior to the left orthotopic kidney. Urology. 54(4):742-3, 1999
Lezcano L et al: Crossed renal ectopia associated with maternal alkaloid cocaine abuse: a case report. J Perinatol. 14(3):230-3, 1994
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