Obligatory medical device diagnostics.
- Renal ultrasonography (ultrasound examination of the kidneys) – for basic diagnosis.
- [Polycystic kidney disease: multiple, echo-poor, smoothly circumscribed, cystic structures with typical dorsal sound enhancement; regular sizing of the kidneys by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a standardized protocol in specialized clinics is required to determine the risk of progression (“risk of disease progression”); risk of renal failure correlates with combined renal volume]
- Note: Approximately 20% of all 50- to 60-year-olds have cystic changes of the kidneys; men are affected twice as often as women.
- Note: An asymptomatic solitary renal cyst does not require treatment.
Optional medical device diagnostics – depending on the results of the history, physical examination, laboratory diagnostics and mandatory medical device diagnostics – for differential diagnosis.
- Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen (abdominal CT) – for further diagnosis.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen (abdominal MRI) – for diagnosis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) as well as in estimating the risk of progression to end-stage renal disease [most sensitive method].
Sonographic criteria for the diagnosis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) in patients with positive family history.
Patient age | Sonographic findings |
< 40 years | ≥ 3 cysts (unilateral or bilateral) |
40 to 60 years | ≥ 2 cysts in each kidney |
> 60 years | ≥ 4 cysts in each kidney |
Note: In children, even a single cyst should be checked since, it may represent the initial manifestation of ADPKD.