Horseshoe kidney differential diagnosis

Horseshoe kidney disease must be differentiated from renal ectopia, ureteropelvic junction obstruction, hydronephrosis, and duplicate collecting systems that can be differentiated based on appearances on CT scan.

Horseshoe kidney has to be differentiated from the following:^[1]

• Hydro­nephrosis
• Ureteropelvic junction obstruction
• Duplicate collecting systems
• Ovarian cysts
• Renal ectopia
• Crossed fused ectopy
• Pan cake kidney or disc kidney

The main differential diagnosis of HSK is another variety of renal ectopia known as pancake kidney, disc kidney or shield kidney in which there is complete mid-line fusion of the kidneys at the pelvis. It is usually seen below the L2 vertebral body and is frequently associated with vascular abnormalities of the aortic branches.

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