Arterial hypertension and position of the kidneys

Abstract Three hundred unselected intravenous urograms of hypertensive patients were reviewed. The position of both kidneys was related to the vertebral column, the pelvic centre being the point of reference. In 22 per cent of the cases the right kidney was higher than the left. In general series not especially selected for arterial hypertension 1 to 3 per cent of the cases only show a higher position of the right kidney and this is assumed to be an anatomical developmental variation. It has been found that in patients with arterial hypertension there is a slight descent of both kidneys which is more marked on the left side.