Between work, family, and our social calendars, our kidneys are not always at the forefront of our minds, but these small, bean-shaped organs play a vital role in keeping our bodies healthy and balanced.
From filtering toxins and excess fluids to regulating blood pressure, our kidneys are constantly at work behind the scenes. But what happens to us when they’re not functioning correctly?
Kidney diseases, infections, and even cancer can develop without warning, often exhibiting no symptoms until the damage is done. That’s why kidney health starts with understanding how they work and ends with taking proactive steps toward keeping them functioning well.
Keep reading as we explore the kidneys’ essential functions, common abnormalities, and how a full-body MRI scan can offer valuable insights into their condition.
What are the Kidneys, and How Do They Work?
Just below your rib cage and behind your belly rests two fist-sized organs – your kidneys. Resting on either side of your spine, your kidneys filter waste and excess water out of your blood, keeping your body’s fluids balanced behind the scenes.
Your kidneys are responsible for keeping your body’s fluids in homeostasis or balance. When your body’s fluids and minerals get off balance, other organs and systems throughout the body may begin to work improperly or fail altogether.
Understanding Kidney Damage: From Common Conditions to Cancer
When your kidneys begin to fail due to genetic conditions or damage, a person’s overall health and well-being are at risk. Some of the most common conditions that can cause harm to your kidneys include the following:
Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is one of the most common types of kidney disease. Diabetes and high blood pressure can lead to the development of CKD through increased pressure or sugar levels, damaging the blood vessels and making the kidneys unable to perform their duties.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones occur when minerals and other substances in the blood crystallize and form into solid masses. While they are typically expelled from the body during urination, they can be incredibly painful to pass. Depending on the size of the stones, they may be unable to move out of the body during urination and may require surgery.
Lifestyle habits and family history can increase your risk of developing kidney stones. If you or someone in your family has endured this painful experience or needed surgery to remove them, a full-body MRI for kidney stones may provide insight into your health to help you plan ahead for the stones.
Polycystic Kidney Disease
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic condition in which clusters of cysts develop and grow in the kidneys. While not cancerous, the cysts can cause the kidneys to enlarge and eventually stop working altogether.
Common symptoms include high blood pressure, blood in the urine, kidney stones, increased size of the belly from enlarged kidneys, and urinary tract infections.
Horseshoe Kidney
Horseshoe kidney is a congenital defect that affects one in 500 people. During fetal development, the kidneys typically form in the lower belly and move up and outward in the back on either side of the spine.
With a horseshoe kidney, instead of settling on either side of the spine, the kidneys attach at the lower end, sitting lower in the pelvis and closer to the front of the body rather than the back.
Most people experience no symptoms of a horseshoe kidney, often going throughout their lives without ever knowing. For some, however, symptoms may include nausea and vomiting, frequent UTIs, and kidney stones.
Taking a Preventative Approach to Your Kidney Health
Your kidneys go unnoticed as you move throughout your day, however, it’s essential to ensure they are functioning properly before it’s too late.
A kidney MRI scan is a safe, non-invasive procedure that uses radio waves and strong magnets to produce images of the kidneys. During a whole-body MRI scan, our imaging tests will provide a comprehensive overview of the body’s internal structure, screening 13 organ systems and detecting nearly 500 conditions.
From thyroid cysts to gallstones, our MRI screens can detect the following abnormalities in the kidneys:
- Kidney stones
- Horseshoe kidney
- Kidney cancer
- Enlarged kidney
- Polycystic kidney
- Abnormalities in the adrenal glands
After a full body scan near you, a fellowship trained, board-certified radiologist will review the findings and deliver a comprehensive report for your review, detailing abnormal kidney MRI findings, among other areas of the body.
Say Hello Again to Your Health with MRI Wellness
Scheduling your first full-body MRI appointment in Charleston, SC, can be daunting, especially when your health is in question.
Whether you are experiencing concerns regarding your kidneys or have a genetic predisposition to certain kidney conditions, our team is here to help.
At MRI Wellness, we offer an easy and accurate look at what’s going on inside our bodies to help you take a proactive approach to your health and wellness.
Let’s work together for the future of your health. Schedule a full-body MRI near you today at MRI Wellness!
