The technique for scanning the left kidney is very similar to that of the right kidney. Of note, the left kidney lies slightly superior and posterior compared to the right kidney due to the smaller size of the spleen.
Point the probe indicator towards the patient’s head.
Place your probe at the Left Posterior Axillary Line around the 8th to 10th intercostal space.
To reach the posterior axillary line, your knuckles should touch the bed.
Visualize the same renal structures you did in the Right Kidney (except instead of the liver you will see the spleen above the left kidney in this view).
POCUS 101 Tip: Sometimes you may need to rely on the patient’s breathing pattern to bring the left kidney into view.