Microradiographs showing renal vasculature in sickle cell disease

Injection microradiographs of kidneys from an individual with no hemoglobinopathy (A), sickle cell trait (B), and sickle cell disease (C). The renal cortex is at the top and the medullary pyramid is at the bottom of each picture.
(A) In the normal kidney, the vasa recta are visible radiating into the renal papilla (arrow), and the cortical vasculature is dense and uniform.
(B) In sickle cell trait, the cortical vasculature is somewhat decreased, and the vasa recta are attenuated and distorted.
(C) In sickle cell disease, there is a considerable decrease in the cortical vasculature, and the vasa recta are virtually absent.