What is the purpose of the renal radiography of kidneys and what does the quality of the pictures depend on?
Renal radiography of kidneys is an ordinary method of X-ray diagnostics of kidney pathologies without the use of any contrast components.
In the image obtained after radiography, it is possible to establish the presence of changes in the lumbar spine, pelvic bones, in the ribs and in the upper third of the ribs. Pathological changes in the osseous system can explain the pain that has previously been considered a sign of kidney damage.
The survey gives an opportunity to see the shadow from the lumbar muscle. The absence of such a shadow on the one hand indicates a pathological change of space behind the peritoneum, mainly of a tumor or inflammatory nature - oncology or paranephritis.
This is important!
The location, size and shape of the kidneys can be determined from the picture of the survey radiography. Also, in the survey picture, stones located in the urinary tract, in the kidneys, in the bladder are seen. They need to be distinguished from foreign bodies, fibrous nodes in the uterus, calcifications in the kidney arising from tumors or tuberculosis.
Despite the fact that survey radiography is not the most informative method of diagnosis, but it gives general information about the location of the organ and the presence of large concrements. Such diagnostics can detect only large stones and only X-rays, that is, stones that have a high density and include calcium in their composition. For example, cystine stones, consisting of amino acids and calcium salt, can not be detected by review radiography, and for their consideration will require the organization of contrast urography.
Preparation for
Before the examination, special preparations are made for the radiography of the kidneys. For two days before the implementation of the survey radiography from the diet, it is necessary to exclude products that contribute to flatulence, namely - potatoes, cabbage, legumes, fresh milk, sugar and black bread. With a tendency to constipation, laxative drugs are used three to four days before the start of the examination.
Preparation for renal radiography of kidneys also consists in stopping the meal from lunch prior to the diagnosis of the day, and then in the evening and in the morning the patient is treated with a cleansing enema.
This is important!
In the morning immediately before the diagnosis, the patient is allowed to have breakfast with a tea with a small sandwich bread with white bread, because in the devastated intestine the process of formation of gases is intensified.
For people with normal bowel function, a review radiograph is performed without adequate preparation. Also, without special preparation, patients with acute pathologies, for example, with renal colic, are examined.
Carrying out and care after diagnostics
For realization of a review radiography of the patient put on a back on specially prepared X-ray table. A person should lie flat, with his hands behind his head. To determine the correctness and symmetry of the posture, the expert is guided by the position of the iliac bones.
If the patient is unable to draw his hands over his head or continue to maintain this position during the examination, he is shifted to the left side, with the right arm extended upwards.
Renal radiography of the kidneys involves obtaining only one X-ray.
To prevent exposure of the testicles, the external genitalia in men are covered with a special screen, and in women, ovarian protection is impossible because they are too close to the organs of the urinary system.
Normal indicators of the
survey. In a survey of the organs of the urinary system, shadows from the kidneys are located on both sides of the spine. Usually, the right kidney is slightly lower than the left kidney. The size of the kidneys corresponds to the norm, and the upper poles slightly deviate towards the vertebral column - it turns out that the longitudinal axes of the kidneys are parallel to the edges of the muscles of the spine.
This is important!
The ureters become visible on the pictures only under the condition of calcification of their walls. The possibility of treating the bladder will depend on the density of its walls and the volume of urine. Usually the shadow from the bladder on the survey radiograph is visible, but not very clearly.
Deviations from the norm
The increase in the size of two kidneys is manifested with the development of polycystosis, with lymphoma, myeloma pathology, amyloidosis, hydronephrosis, or diabetes mellitus. It is the tumor formation, hydronephrosis or cyst that causes the increase in the size of the organ.
Reduction of the size of two kidneys occurs with the development of the final stage of glomerulonephritis or in the chronic form of bilateral pyelonephritis. A noticeable decrease in the size of one of the kidneys can be a consequence of congenital pathology - hypoplasia or wrinkling in the development of chronic ischemia or pyelonephritis.
Kidney displacement occurs when the tumor forms in space behind the peritoneum - for example, tumors in the adrenal glands.
Attenuation or, conversely, an increase in the manifestation of the shadow of the lumbar muscle is established with the formation of a tumor or with kidney abscess, with a hematoma in the space behind the peritoneum.
Renal radiography of the kidneys helps to diagnose congenital abnormalities of the location of the kidneys or the absence of one of them. The horseshoe kidney is diagnosed under the condition that the longitudinal axes of the kidneys are parallel to the axis of the spine, and the lower poles of the kidneys are not clearly identified. Uneven contours of the kidneys in the picture are seen with the development of polycystic or wrinkling of the body with pyelonephritis.
Calculus in the kidneys, calcification of the walls of the dilated vessels of the kidney and the presence of atherosclerotic plaques can be visualized in a survey of radiography in the form of radiopaque shadows. In addition, the formation of shadows may be the cause of the development of a tumor in the bladder. Fecal stones or the presence of foreign bodies in the abdominal or in space behind the peritoneum.
Radiopaque shadows are diagnosed in any department of the urinary system, and their detection involves the organization of additional examinations, one of which is isotopic radiography of the kidneys. Exceptions are only coral stones, which are a clear impression of the cup-and-pelvis system.
What can prevent the correct result of the
There are some factors that can cause false data to be generated during the survey radiography. These factors include:
- The presence of gas, feces, foreign bodies in the intestine or a preliminary examination with the introduction of contrast medium - all this significantly degrades the quality of the pictures.
- Presence of calcified nodes in the uterus or presence of large neoplasms in the ovaries.
- Obesity and ascites also produce poor quality images.