Urinary system anatomy

Question 1

Are the kidneys intraperitoneal or retroperitoneal?

Answer 1

Retroperitoneal

Question 2

Which kidney sits lower?

Answer 2

Right kidney

Question 3

Liver cirrhosis can cause which condition related to the kidneys?

Answer 3

Hepatorenal syndrome - liver cirrhosis leads to insufficient blood flow to the kidneys, potentially causing renal failure

Question 4

How could an ulcer in the 2nd part of the duodenum affect the right kidney?

Answer 4

Ureteroduodenal fistula

Question 5

How can splenomegaly affect the left kidney?

Answer 5

Hydronephrosis

Question 6

Moving from medial to lateral, which 3 muscles have contact with the posterior side of the kidneys?

Answer 6

Psoas major
Quadratus lumborum
Transversus abdominis

Question 7

How can the risk of a pneumothorax be reduced during a renal biopsy?

Answer 7

Ask patient to exhale - this would ensure that the lungs retract from the costo-diaphragmatic recess

Question 8

List the layers of fascia and fat surrounding the kidneys, moving outwards.

Answer 8

Renal capsule
Perinephric fat
Renal fascia
Paranephric fat

Question 9

At what vertebral level do the renal arteries branch off the aorta?

Answer 9

L1

Question 10

Does the right renal artery travel anterior or posterior to the IVC?

Answer 10

Posterior

Question 11

The renal arteries branch into how many segments?

Answer 11

5

Question 12

An aneurysm in which 2 arteries could compress the left renal vein?

Answer 12

Aorta
SMA

Question 13

Where does the right gonadal vein drain into?

Where does the left gonadal vein drain into?

Answer 13

Right - directly into IVC

Left - left renal vein, which then drains into IVC

Question 14

Describe the urine drainage pathway in the kidney.

Answer 14

Renal papillae
Minor calyces
Major calyces
Renal pelvis
Ureter

Question 15

The left kidney spans which vertebral levels?

Answer 15

T12 - L3

Question 16

The right kidney spans which vertebral levels?

Answer 16

L1 - L4

Question 17

In what region of the body is an ectopic kidney likely to be found?

Answer 17

Pelvis

Question 18

Where are the 3 areas that the ureters constrict?

Answer 18

Pelvic ureteric junction (PUJ)

Pelvic brim

Vesicoureteric junction (VUJ)

Question 19

Pain in the ureters will be felt in which dermatomes?

Answer 19

T11 - L2

Question 20

Which pathology would cause ‘loin to groin’ pain?

Answer 20

Ureter stones

Question 21

Which epithelium lines the bladder?

Answer 21

Transitional epithelium

Question 22

How is backflow of urine into the ureters prevented during bladder contraction?

Answer 22

The detrusor muscle surrounds the ureteric orifices, closing the openings during contraction

Question 23

In the bladder, what forms the trigone region?

Answer 23

Ureteric orifices
Internal urethral orifice

Question 24

Which ligament attaches to the apex of the bladder?

What is this a remnant of?

Answer 24

Median umbilical ligament

Urachus

Question 25

The urachus forms from what?

Answer 25

Distal end of the allantois

Question 26

Which ligament supports the bladder in women?

Answer 26

Pubo-vesical ligament

Question 27

Which ligament supports the bladder in men?

Answer 27

Pubo-prostatic ligament

Question 28

Which bowl-shaped muscle cradles the bladder from underneath?

Answer 28

Levator ani

Question 29

Which 2 arteries supply the bladder? What are they a branch of?

Answer 29

Superior vesical artery Inferior vesical artery Internal iliac artery

Question 30

Which lymph nodes does the bladder drain into?

Answer 30

Internal iliac nodes

Question 31

Which lymph nodes do the kidneys drain into?

Answer 31

Lateral aortic nodes

Question 32

Sensory visceral nerves from the top of the bladder travel back to the spinal cord with which type of nerves? Pain from the top of the bladder will refer pain to which dermatomes?

Answer 32

Sympathetics T12 - L2

Question 33

Sensory visceral nerves from the bottom of the bladder travel back to the spinal cord with which type of nerves? Pain from the bottom of the bladder will refer pain to which dermatomes?

Answer 33

Parasympathetics S2 - S4

Question 34

What are the 5 parts of the male urethra?

Answer 34

Pre-prostatic Prostatic Membranous Spongy Navicular fossa

Question 35

Which 2 muscles found near the urethra are present in females only?

Answer 35

Compressor urethrae Sphincter urethrovaginalis

Question 36

Which nerve innervates the urethra?

Answer 36

Pudendal nerve (S2 - S4)

Question 37

Which bacteria is the most common cause of UTIs?

Answer 37

E. Coli

Question 38

What are the 2 borders of the renal angle?

Answer 38

Rib 12 Lateral edge of paravertebral muscles

Question 39

At what vertebral level is the hilum of the kidneys?

Answer 39

L2