Renal Disorders

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Nephrolithiasis

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refers to the condition of having kidney stones.

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Nephrotoxin

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chemicals displaying nephrotoxicity (toxic effect on the kidney).

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Neurogenic bladder

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dysfunction of the urinary bladder due to disease of the central nervous system or peripheral nerves involved in the control of micturition.

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Nidus

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center of a bladder stone. a nidus is a breeding place where bacteria, parasites and other agents of a disease lodge and develop.

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Renal osteodystrophy

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a bone pathology, characterized by bone mineralization deficiency, that is a direct result of the electrolyte and endocrine derangements which accompany chronic kidney disease.

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Acute pyelonephritis

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an ascending urinary tract infection that has reached the pyelum (pelvis) of the kidney. It is a form of nephritis.

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Chronic pyelonephritis

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Renal injury induced by recurrent or persistent renal infection. It occurs almost exclusively in patients with major anatomic anomalies, including urinary tract obstruction, struvite calculi, renal dysplasia, or, most commonly, vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in young children

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Acute Renal Failure (ARF)

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an abrupt or rapid decline in renal filtration function. This condition is usually marked by a rise in serum creatinine concentration and BUN concentration or azotemia.

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Chronic Renal Failure (CRF)

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aka Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). It is a progressive loss of renal function over a period of months or years. The symptoms of worsening kidney function are unspecific. Often, chronic kidney disease is diagnosed as a result of screening of people known to be at risk of kidney problems, such as those with high blood pressure or diabetes and those with a blood relative with chronic kidney disease.

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End-stage renal failure

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aka end-stage renal disease (ESRD), or Stage 5 CKD. Chronic renal failure (CRF) requiring dialysis or transplantation is known as end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In the United States, diabetic nephropathy is the most common and hypertension the second most common cause

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Prerenal failure

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Prerenal causes of ARF are those that decrease effective blood flow to the kidney. These include systemic causes, such as low blood volume, low blood pressure, and heart failure, as well as local changes to the blood vessels supplying the kidney. The latter include renal artery stenosis, which is a narrowing of the renal artery that supplies the kidney, and renal vein thrombosis, which is the formation of a blood clot in the renal vein that drains blood from the kidney.

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Intrarenal (intrinsic) renal failure

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Sources of damage to the kidney itself are dubbed intrinsic. Intrinsic ARF can be due to damage to the glomeruli, renal tubules, or interstitium. Common causes of each are glomerulonephritis, acute tubular necrosis (ATN), and acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), respectively.

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Postrenal renal failure

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Postrenal ARF is a consequence of urinary tract obstruction. This may be related to benign prostatic hyperplasia, kidney stones, or an obstructed urinary catheter.

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Renal insufficiency

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a situation in which the kidneys fail to function adequately.

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Uremia

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Literally means urine in the blood. A clinical syndrome associated with fluid, electrolyte, and hormone imbalances and metabolic abnormalities, which develop in parallel with deterioration of renal function. Uremia more commonly develops with chronic renal failure (CRF) or the later stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD), but it also may occur with acute renal failure (ARF) if loss of renal function is rapid.

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Azotemia

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is a medical condition characterized by abnormally high levels of nitrogen-containing compounds, such as urea, creatinine, various body waste compounds, and other nitrogen-rich compounds in the blood. It is largely related to insufficient filtering of blood by the kidneys

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Renal Calculi

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A kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.

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Staghorn Calculi

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Renal stone that develops in the pelvicaliceal system, and in advanced cases has a branching configuration which resembles the antlers of a stag. Staghorn calculi are composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite), which forms in urine that has an abnormally high pH (above 7.2).

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Fatty cast

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A renal or urinary cast consisting largely of fat globules; those containing doubly refractile bodies (composed of cholesterol) are found in the nephrotic syndrome

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Hyaline cast

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The most common type of cast, hyaline casts are solidified Tamm-Horsfall mucoprotein secreted from the tubular epithelial cells of individual nephrons. Low urine flow, concentrated urine, or an acidic environment can contribute to the formation of hyaline casts, and, as such, they may be seen in normal individuals in dehydration or vigorous exercise. Hyaline casts are cylindrical and clear, with a low refractive index, so that they can easily be missed on cursory review under brightfield microscopy, or in an aged sample where dissolution has occurred

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Granular cast

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The second-most common type of cast, granular casts can result either from the breakdown of cellular casts or the inclusion of aggregates of plasma proteins (e.g., albumin) or immunoglobulin light chains. Depending on the size of inclusions, they can be classified as fine or coarse, though the distinction has no diagnostic significance. Their appearance is generally more cigar-shaped and of a higher refractive index than hyaline casts. While most often indicative of chronic renal disease, these casts, as with hyaline casts, can also be seen for a short time following strenuous exercise

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Red blood cell cast

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The presence of red blood cells within the cast is always pathologic, and is strongly indicative of glomerular damage, which can occur in glomerulonephritis from various causes or vasculitis. They are a yellowish-brown color and are generally cylindrical with sometimes ragged edges; their fragility makes inspection of a fresh sample necessary. They are usually associated with nephritic syndromes

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Renal epithelial Cast

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This cast is formed by inclusion or adhesion of desquamated epithelial cells of the tubule lining. Cells can adhere in random order or in sheets and are distinguished by large, round nuclei and a lower amount of cytoplasm.

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White blood cell cast

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Indicative of inflammation or infection, the presence of white blood cells within or upon casts strongly suggests pyelonephritis, a direct infection of the kidney. They may also be seen in inflammatory states, such as acute allergic interstitial nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, or post-streptococcal acute glomerulonephritis. White cells sometimes can be difficult to discern from epithelial cells and may require special staining

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Creatinine clearance

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A test that compares the level of creatinine in urine with the creatinine level in the blood. (Creatinine is a breakdown product of creatine, which is an important part of muscle.) The test helps provide information on kidney function

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Cystitis

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is inflammation of the urinary bladder. The condition more often affects women, but can affect either sex and all age groups

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Hydronephrosis

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is distension and dilation of the renal pelvis and calyces, usually caused by obstruction of the free flow of urine from the kidney, leading to progressive atrophy of the kidney.

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Hydroureter

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distention of the ureter with urine or watery fluid, due to obstruction

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Urinary tract infection (UTI)

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is an infection involving the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra.