A case of renal artery thrombosis in adolescence: when one kidney does not light up

Spontaneous renal arterial thrombosis is rare in the pediatric population and may present as an acute abdomen, making it a potential diagnostic pitfall for pediatricians or emergency physicians. The authors present a 14-year-old female who presented to the emergency department with sudden onset abdominal pain and unexpectedly showed a right renal artery occlusion on contrast-enhanced computerized tomography scan. Subsequently, renal artery thrombosis was confirmed on a catheter angiography and treated with thrombolysis, thrombectomy, and angioplasty. This case underscores the importance of maintaining a broad differential diagnosis and prompt implementation of imaging studies when evaluating pediatric patients presenting with acute abdomen.