Cystic Kidney Disease: Diagnostic Tests

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.