Renal cortical defect

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 :

• 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