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Gas in the kidney: CT findings

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Abstract

Gas in the renal parenchyma is a rare finding seen best with computed tomography (CT). It can be encountered in a wide range of clinical conditions, some of them life-threatening like emphysematous pyelonephritis, whereas in others, it may represent a postoperative or procedure outcome. The latter are not usually a clinical emergency (for example, after nephrostomy insertion or in a urinary intestinal connection). Due to the increasing use of abdominal CT examinations, radiologists, especially in emergency setting, should be aware of this rare finding and be familiar with its differential diagnosis.

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Acknowledgment

We would like to thank Renee Flax Goldenberg, M.D., for her assistance with the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, 52621, Israel

    Orith Portnoy, Sara Apter, Eliahu Konen, Marianne M. Amitai & Marjorie Hertz

  2. Department of Internal Medicine “F”, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, 52621, Israel

    Olga Koukoui

  3. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel

    Tamar Sella

  4. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Assaf Harofe Medical Center, Tel-Aviv University, Zrifin, 70300, Israel

    Gabriella Gayer

Authors
  1. Orith Portnoy
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  2. Sara Apter
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  3. Olga Koukoui
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  4. Eliahu Konen
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  5. Marianne M. Amitai
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  6. Tamar Sella
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  7. Gabriella Gayer
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  8. Marjorie Hertz
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Correspondence to Orith Portnoy.

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Portnoy, O., Apter, S., Koukoui, O. et al. Gas in the kidney: CT findings. Emerg Radiol 14, 83–87 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-007-0599-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-007-0599-8

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