Which of the following renal structures is most medially located?
This is a relatively simple question that requires you to visualize the relationship among the key pas of the kidney and to identify the one that lies most medially. If you think about it for a second, since the kidneys ultimately drain into the ureter at their medial poles, you are looking for the structure that is closest to the ureter. The correct answer is the renal pelvis. The renal pelvis is the dilated upper poion of the ureter that receives the major calyces. In terms of the other answer choices, the order from most lateral to most medial is: renal coex, renal pyramid, minor calyx, major calyx, and then the renal pelvis. Ref: Tanagho E.A. (2008). Chapter 1. Anatomy of the Genitourinary Tract. In E.A. Tanagho, J.W. McAninch (Eds), Smith's General Urology, 17e.
Major calyx
Minor calyx
Renal coex
Renal pelvis