J Korean Soc Radiol.  2010 Mar;62(3):263-269. 10.3348/jksr.2010.62.3.263.

Radiologic Evaluation of the Renal Axis in Patients with an Accessory Renal Artery

• Choi JH
• Kim HJ
• Lim JW
• Ko YT
• Lee EH

• KMID: 2208922
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2010.62.3.263

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between an accessory renal artery (ARA) and the renal axis seen on radiographs.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The MDCT axial images of 428 patients were used to detect the presence of an ARA and its location. The plain radiographs were used to measure the renal axis angle, which was the angle between the longitudinal spinal axis and the renal axis. We correlated these results to determine the association between an ARA and the renal axis.
RESULTS
Of the 856 kidneys (428 patients), 19 kidneys had an ARA in the upper pole, 63 kidneys had an ARA in the hilum and 20 kidneys had an ARA in the lower pole. The mean renal axis angles of these three groups were 16.7 degrees, 15.9 degrees and 11.2 degrees respectively. The mean renal axis angle without an ARA was 16.8 degrees. The renal axis angles with an ARA in the upper pole or hilum showed no significant differences compared to those without an ARA. However, the renal axis angle with an ARA in the lower pole was significantly smaller than those without an ARA.
CONCLUSION
On plain radiographs, the axis of kidneys with an ARA in the lower pole maybe more vertical than those without an ARA.

MeSH Terms

Axis, Cervical Vertebra
Humans
Kidney
Renal Artery

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 A 44-year-old male. The longitudinal axis of the spine was determined by drawing a line (a) from the spinous process of the first lumbar vertebra to the spinous process of the fifth lumbar vertebra. A perpendicular line (b) was drawn to this longitudinal axis (a) and the angle (c) between this line and the renal axis (d) was measured and rounded off to the first decimal. The angle (e) between the longitudinal axis of the spine and the renal axis was obtained by subtracting angle (c) from 90 degrees.

• 

  Fig. 2 A 32-year-old female. The intravenous pyelography film of the left kidney with no accessory renal arteries. The angle between the renal axis and the longitudinal axis of the spine was 19.6 degrees.

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  Fig. 3 A 57-year-old female. A. The intravenous pyelography film of the left kidney. The angle between the renal axis and the longitudinal axis of the spine was 20.6 degrees. B, C. Axial images of the CT scan taken during the portal phase show an accessory renal artery originating from the aorta (B, arrow) and inserting directly into the upper pole (C, arrow).

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  Fig. 4 A 31-year-old female. A. Intravenous pyelography film of the left kidney. The angle between the renal axis and the longitudinal axis of the spine was 20.1 degrees. B, C. The axial images of the CT scan taken during the portal phase show an accessory renal artery originating from the aorta (B, arrow) and inserting directly into the middle pole (C, arrow).

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  Fig. 5 A 65-year-old male. A. The intravenous pyelography film of the left kidney. The angle between the renal axis and the longitudinal axis of the spine was 5.6 degrees. B, C. The axial images of the CT scan taken during the portal phase show an accessory renal artery originating from the aorta (B, arrow) and inserting directly into the lower pole (C, arrow).

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