Renal cortical defects have a variety of causes, and present on imaging as an area of focal cortical thinning or absence of renal cortex, sometimes accompanied by focal caliectasis.
Differential diagnosis
The differential diagnosis for a renal cortical defect includes 1,2:
- renal scarring
- reflux nephropathy: most often affects upper and lower poles, and can be associated with duplex kidneys
- chronic pyelonephritis
- renal infarction: cortical rim sign may be present
- partial nephrectomy
- junctional parenchymal defect
- angiomyolipoma: fat density mass will also be present
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