head kidney

kidney /kid·ney/ (kid´ne) either of the two organs in the lumbar region that filter the blood, excreting the end-products of body metabolism in the form of urine, and regulating the concentrations of hydrogen, sodium, potassium, phosphate, and other ions in the extracellular fluid.

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abdominal kidney  an ectopic kidney just above the iliac crest.

amyloid kidney  one with renal amyloidosis.

artificial kidney  an extracorporeal device through which blood may be circulated for removal of elements that normally are excreted in the urine; a hemodialyzer.

cake kidney  a solid, irregularly lobed organ of bizarre shape, formed by fusion of the two renal anlagen.

cicatricial kidney  a shriveled, irregular, and scarred kidney due to suppurative pyelonephritis.

fatty kidney  one with fatty degeneration.

flea-bitten kidney  one with scattered petechiae on its surface.

floating kidney  nephroptosis.

fused kidney  a single anomalous organ developed as a result of fusion of the renal anlagen.

head kidney  pronephros.

horseshoe kidney  an anomaly in which the right and left kidneys are linked at one end by tissue.

hypermobile kidney  nephroptosis.

lumbar kidney  an ectopic kidney found opposite the sacral promontory in the iliac fossa, anterior to the iliac vessels.

lump kidney  cake k.

medullary sponge kidney  a usually asymptomatic, congenital condition in which small cystic dilatations of the collecting tubules of the renal medulla give the kidney a spongy feeling and appearance.

middle kidney  mesonephros.

pelvic kidney  an ectopic kidney found opposite the sacrum and below the aortic bifurcation.

polycystic kidneys  see polycystic kidney disease, under disease.

primordial kidney  pronephros.

sigmoid kidney  an anomaly in which the two kidneys are fused in the form of a capital Greek letter sigma.

sponge kidney  medullary sponge k.

thoracic kidney  an ectopic kidney that protrudes above the diaphragm into the posterior mediastinum.

waxy kidney  amyloid k.

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head kidney.

See pronephros.