Fig. 15

Normal sagittal appearances of the kidneys at postmortem ultrasound in two different foetuses (left column (a, c)—left kidney, right column (b, d)—right kidney). The solid white arrows in each of the images demonstrate the upper and lower poles of the kidneys. Images (a, b) were obtained in a 20-week gestational-aged foetus, 4 days after death. They show the normal expected corticomedullary differentiation. Images (c, d) were obtained from a stillborn 25-week gestational-aged foetus, 10 days after death. These kidneys lack corticomedullary differentiation and are harder to identify when seen against the background of other solid abdominal viscera and bowel. All kidneys were histologically unremarkable both on antenatal ultrasound imaging and autopsy. The lack of corticomedullary differentiation is likely to relate to autolysis or maceration-related changes, rather than pathological causes