Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of horseshoe kidney

Abstract

Three own cases of diagnosing anomalies of the relative position of the kidneys (horseshoe kidney) are presented. Two cases were diagnosed prenatally at 19+6 and 25+3 weeks of gestation, in one case no prenatal changes were identified, the diagnosis was made postnatally in the month of the child’s life. In all cases, the change was isolated. Thus, the possibility of prenatal diagnosis of a horseshoe kidney in our center was 66.7 %. In all cases the diagnosis of a horseshoe kidney was confirmed postnatally using ultrasound examination, and in one case magnetic resonance imaging of the abdominal organs was additionally performed. Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of a horseshoe kidney was possible due to the presence of adhesion of the lower poles with the whole mass and abnormal location of the kidneys, or the detection of a characteristic large parenchymal isthmus between the lower poles, located suprapertebrally. In the case of a typical location of the kidneys and the presence of a relatively thin isthmus between the poles, the diagnosis of this anomaly in the prenatal period caused certain difficulties.