The renal pelvis is the funnel-shaped space where the major calyces come together before narrowing into the ureter. It sits partly inside the renal sinus and partly outside the kidney at the hilum. It collects all urine made by the kidney and pushes it into the ureter by waves of muscle contraction.
| Location | At the renal hilum, partly within the renal sinus, posterior to the renal vessels |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Renal plexus |
| Blood Supply | Renal artery branches; Ureteric branches |
| Venous drainage | |
| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Collects urine from the calyces and propels it into the ureter.
The renal pelvis is a common site for stones and for transitional cell (urothelial) cancers, which often cause painless blood in the urine. Its size varies a lot between people; a pelvis lying mostly outside the kidney (extrarenal pelvis) can look large on scans without being blocked. Pyelonephritis literally means infection of the pelvis and kidney tissue.
A narrowing where the pelvis meets the ureter, often present from birth, causing hydronephrosis and flank pain.
A cancer of the lining cells, linked to smoking, that typically presents with blood in the urine.
This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Some are essential for site functionality, while others help us analyze and improve your usage experience. Please review your options and make your choice.
If you are under 16 years old, please ensure that you have received consent from your parent or guardian for any non-essential cookies.
Your privacy is important to us. You can adjust your cookie settings at any time. For more information about how we use data, please read our privacy policy. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking on the settings button below.
Note that if you choose to disable some types of cookies, it may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.
Some required resources have been blocked, which can affect third-party services and may cause the site to not function properly.
This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.
