Editing Kidneys (section)

== Radiologic anatomy of the renal parenchyma ==

* Ultrasound
** In adults, the '''normal kidneys''' have smooth margins and '''are isoechoic to the liver. However, both renal cortices and pyramids are usually hypoechoic to the liver, spleen, and renal sinus'''
** Increasing echogenicity correlates to the severity of pathologic changes in renal parenchyma.
* CT
** The renal parenchyma is homogeneous on unenhanced CT
** CT angiography is currently the gold standard to assess renal arteries
* '''MRI'''
** '''T1-weighted sequences show the renal cortex much brighter than the renal medulla, whereas the cortex is slightly less intense than the medulla on T2-weighted sequences'''