腎臟圖의 형태요소와 그 變異에 대한 연구

Factors of Variation in Diagrams and Location of Kidney

This study examines the variation in diagrams of the kidney, and the effects on location of the Life Gate as a result. Mystudy analyzes diagrams of kidney form andlocation, such as appearance the vertebral spine, ShenXi, and“Life Gate”,and also explores the causes for such variations. The kidney is commonly described as having the shape of a bean, which throughout medical history has showed almost no variation. The spine was initially described with a total of 21 vertebrae, and later with a range of 19-25 vertebrae. Regarding the height of kidney in relationship to the spine ,it was initially described as beginning at the 14th vertebrae, and later changed to the 15th or 17th vertebrae. However, there have been no changes in the perception of the height of kidney. Initially, the location ofthe Life Gate could notbe identified.Three differentsuggestions ofits location were found throughout historical literature, including:(1)at or within the right kidney;(2)between two kidneys ;and(3)between14th-15th spine.There were also variations noted in the process of copying diagrams of kidney in many books not only because the work of copying was not precise.