- Kidney: paired bean-shaped retroperitoneal organ, posterior abdominal wall; excretes metabolic waste and excess water/salts, maintaining fluid-electrolyte balance.
Location, Shape and Measurements
- Location: posterior abdominal wall, opposite T12 to L3 vertebrae.
- Shape: bean shaped. Length 11 cm, width 6 cm, thickness 3 cm; weight 150/135 g (male/female).
- Right kidney lies lower than left (liver); left kidney lies nearer the median plane.
- Transpyloric plane crosses the upper part of the right hilum and the lower part of the left hilum.
- Upper poles 2.5 cm, hila 5 cm, lower poles 7.5 cm from the midline; each kidney moves 2.5 cm vertically during respiration.
- Kidneys occupy the epigastric, hypochondriac, lumbar and umbilical regions.
External Features and Hilum