Medical Student Discovers 'Very Abnormal' Kidney Mass During Classroom Ultrasound Volunteering

A New York medical student experienced a surprising turn of events after volunteering to be a patient for an ultrasound demonstration in class, which revealed a serious health issue.

Aria Moreno, a first-year medical student at Hofstra University on Long Island, shared with local news outlets that her decision to participate in the ultrasound exercise turned out to be lifesaving. She had no prior symptoms and had not suspected any health concerns.

During the session, Dr. Amanda Aquilo-Caudra conducted the ultrasound and immediately noticed unusual findings. "I saw large dark areas, and alarm bells went off," she explained. She told Moreno privately that there appeared to be dilation in the kidney and expressed concern about potential obstruction, possibly caused by a kidney stone.

Following the doctors advice, Moreno promptly visited her physician, who confirmed that a significant kidney stone was blocking her right kidney. She was quickly taken into surgery to remove the obstruction.

"If it hadnt been detected, I could have lost more function in my right kidney, maybe the entire kidney," Moreno said. After surgery, she recovered with about 50 percent function in her right kidney and full function in her left, allowing her to resume her usual activities, including dancing and running.

Moreno described the experience as a wake-up call, encouraging others to volunteer in similar learning scenarios. "I will always be the first to volunteer and tell everyone to do it. You never know what it might reveal," she said.

Hofstra University acknowledged that while such discoveries during classroom exercises are uncommon, they are not unprecedented. Dr. Aquilo-Caudra emphasized the remarkable timing, saying, "Its incredible that we identified it when we did."

Moreno plans to continue her medical studies at Hofstra University, viewing the experience as a meaningful part of her journey in the healthcare field.

Author: Olivia Parker