Pediatric Intrathoracic Kidney

  • Etiology: kidney rises into chest before diaphragm closes, or through patent Foramen of Bochdalek, or in trauma
  • Imaging: kidney in chest
  • Clinical: 5% of renal ectopia

Radiology Cases of Intrathoracic Kidney

CXR and CT of intrathoracic kidney
CXR AP (upper left) shows a rounded mass in the left lower lobe which appears posterior in location on the CXR lateral (upper right). Coronal and axial CT with contrast of the chest (below) shows the left kidney to be in the lower left hemithorax. In the operating room, a defect at the foramen of Bochdalek was noted and repaired after the kidney had been reduced into the abdomen.
CXR and CT of intrathoracic kidney
CXR PA and lateral (above) shows a soft tissue mass in the posterior costophrenic sulcus. Axial CT with contrast of the chest shows the right kidney in the right hemithorax.