Urinary System Abd Study Cards

What is the first layer adjacent to the kidney that forms a tough, fibrous covering?

Renal capsule

What is the space behind the peritoneal lining of the abdominal cavity?

Retroperitoneum

What is the medulla also known as?

Pyramid

What is the renal fascia commonly known as?

Gerota’s fascia

What are major calyces also known as?

Infundubulum

What normal variant occurs on the lateral border of the left kidney appearing as a bulge?

Dromedary hump

What carries blood into the glomerulus of the nephron?

Afferent arteriole

What is part of the filtration process that contains amino acids, urea, glucose, water, and salts?

Bowman’s capsule

What are bands of cortical tissue that separate the renal pyramids? They may mimic a renal mass on US.

columns of Bertin

What is the acronym for Blood urea nitrogen?

BUN

What does urolithiasis mean?

Stone within the urinary system

What term is used to describe a dilation of the renal collecting system?

Hydronephrosis

Which “sign” is seen when narrow bands of acoustic shadowing posterior to a cyst along lateral borders of enhancement?

Tadpole sign

What is the small membranous canal that excretes urine from them urinary bladder?

Urethra

What is the muscular retroperitoneal organ that holds urine?

The bladder

What are the small vessels at the base of the renal pyramids called?

Arcuate arteries

Which part of the collecting system adjacent to the pyramid collects urine and is connected to the major calyx?

Calyx

What does splaying mean?

Widening

What measures the amount of nitrogenous waste; creatine?

Blood urea nitrogen

What part of the kidney is the area that the vessels, ureter and lymphatics enter and exit?

Hilus

What is the abbreviation for creatinine?

Cr

Which congenital malformation is seen when the kidneys are joined by the isthmus, most commonly at the lower poles?

Horseshoe kidney

What receives urine from the minor calyces to transport to the renal pelvis?

Major calyces

Which retroperitoneal structures exit the kidneys and carry urine to the urinary bladder?

Ureters

Blood from what structure supplies the peritubular capillaries, which also supply the convoluted tubules?

Efferent arteriole

What refers to the outer parenchyma of the kidney that contain the renal corpuscle, proximal and distal portions of the convoluted tubules of the nephron?

Cortex

What refers to the inner portion of the renal parenchyma; contains the loop of Henle?

Medulla

What lab test measures the ability of the kidney to remove waste?

Creatinine

What is a functional unit of the kidney that includes a renal corpuscle and a renal tubule?

Nephron

What does homeostasis mean?

To maintain stable conditions necessary for survival

Where is an ectopic kidney located?

Outside the normal position, usually within the pelvic cavity

What is the glomerulus?

Part of the filtration process that filters blood

What part of the nephron consists of the glomerulus and Bowman’s capsule?

Renal corpuscle

What portion of the renal tubule lies between the proximal and distal convoluted portions?

Loop of Henle

What is renal agenesis?

Absence of the kidneys. May be unilateral or bilateral

What transports urine to the minor calyces?

Pyramids

What is the midportion of the kidney that collects urine before it enters the ureter?

Renal pelvis

What forms the border of the renal sinus; receives urine from the renal pyramids?

Minor calyces

Which lab test measures how much dissolved material is present in the urine?

Specific gravity

What is the midportion of the kidney where ureters and vessels enter and exit?

Renal hilum

What is the central area of the kidney that includes the renal pelvis, renal vessels, calyces, fat, nerves, and lymphatics?

Renal sinus

What is located anterior to the right kidney and inferior to the liver where fluid can accumulate?

Morrison’s pouch

What are the functions of the urinary system?

Excrete waste, regulate blood composition

What do kidneys consist of?

Internal medullary portion, external cortical substance

Is the urinary bladder a large muscular bag?

Yes

What makes an indentation within the minor calyx?

Renal papilla

On the bladder, where are the openings for the ureters?

On the posterior and lateral aspect of the bladder

What does the renal corpuscle consist of?

Network of capillaries called glomerulus

What do the pyramids empty into?

Renal pelvis

Where are the kidneys located?

Retroperitoneal cavity below the diaphragm, Flank

What does the renal pelvis divide into?

2 or 3 minor calyces

What does the medullary substance of the kidney consist of?

Renal pyramids

Where on the bladder is an opening for the urethra?

On the anterior aspect

What is the inner surface of the medulla folded into?

Projections called pyramids

Which kidney is slightly lower than the other?

The right kidney is slightly lower than the left kidney due to the liver

What is the membranous tube that passes from the anterior portion of the urinary bladder to the outside of the body?

Urethra

What is located posterior to the left kidney?

11/12th rib, psoas muscle, transverse abdominis muscle, diaphragm, costodiaphragmatic recess of the pleura; quadratus lumborum

How many renal pyramids are within a kidney?

8-18

What are the two sphincters of the urethra?

Internal and external

What is the blood supply to the ureter from?

Superior vesical artery, testicular or ovarian artery; renal artery

What filters blood and produces urine?

Nephrons

What is the normal size of a healthy adult kidney?

9-12cm long, 5cm wide, and 2.5cm thick

How does the blood leave the glomerulus?

Via the efferent arteriole

Which fibrous capsule surrounds the kidney?

True capsule

What does a nephron consist of?

Renal corpuscle; renal tubule

True or false? The urethra is NOT commonly visualized sonographically.

True

Why is the right kidney slightly lower than the left kidney?

The right lobe of the liver pushes the right kidney inferiorly

What is located posterior to the right kidney?

12th rib, transversus abdominis muscle, diaphragm, psoas muslce, quadratus lumborum; costodiaphragmatic recess of the pleura

What supplies blood to the kidneys?

Main renal arteries

What is located outside of the kidneys true capsule?

Perinephric fat

Where is the ureter located in comparison to the renal artery?

The ureter is slightly inferior to the renal artery

What is the cup-like structure that surrounds the glomerulus?

Bowman’s capsule

Where do the renal arteries arise from?

Lateral aspect of the AO, just inferior to the SMA

What does the renal corpuscle filter?

Blood

Where does blood supply to the nephrons begin?

Renal artery

True or Flase? The ureter from the ureteropelvic junction to the bladder is routinely visualized with ultrasound.

False

What surrounds the perinephric fat?

Perinephric fascia

The two branches of the renal veins are (BLANK) to the renal artery.

Anterior

What is located anterior to the left kidney?

Spleen, panc, left adrenal gland, left colic flexure; coils of jejunum

What is the most posterior and superior structure within the renal hilum?

Renal artery

How do ureters enter the pelvis?

Crossing the bifurcation of the common iliac artery anterior to the sacroliac joint

What is located at the base of the pyramids and separate the medulla from the cortex?

Arcuate arteries

What encloses the kidneys and adrenal glands?

Perinephric fascia

Blood flows into the glomerulus through a small (BLANK) (BLANK) and leaves the glomerulus through an (BLANK) (BLANK).

Afferent arteriole, efferent arteriole

What recieves the major calyces?

Renal pelvis

How many branches does the renal artery divide into?

Three

What does the renal vein drain into?

Lateral walls of the IVC

What is located anterior to the right kidney?

Second part of the duodenum, right colic flexure, right adrenal gland; Morrison’s pouch

What is the first part of the renal tubule?

Coiled proximal convoluted tubule

What forms of the juxtaglomerular apparatus?

Distal convoluted tubules and the glomerular afferent arteriole

How long are ureters?

25 cm

Where do the three branches of the renal artery enter into the hlius of the kidney?

Two anterior and one posterior to the pelvis of the ureter

What surrounds the true capsule and the perinephric fat?

Gerota’s fascia, AKA the renal fascia

What structure helps regulate blood pressure in the kidneys?

Juxtaglomerular apparatus