Most people don’t know if they have cysts in their kidneys or not. Kidney cysts are small, filled sacs that can occur in one or both kidneys. They are harmless and don’t affect kidney function, but sometimes they cause symptoms or can lead to cancer that requires treatment. To find out, whether you have a cyst or not is only possible when you have renal cyst diagnosis tests. The most common test used to diagnose renal cysts is ultrasound. Learn about renal ultrasound for cyst detection and treatment options in this article. If you want to know more about renal cyst symptoms and treatment, visit us at Doral Health and Wellness Urology Center and consult with the best nephrologists and urologists in East New York.

Diagnosis of renal cyst

To diagnose renal cysts, the doctor always orders imaging tests like ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, and kidney function tests. Generally, ultrasound is the most used imaging test due to its many benefits such as producing high-quality images without the use of radiation, being risk-free, inexpensive, easily available, and easily performable.

In ultrasound, the doctor uses a device called a transducer that produces high-frequency sound waves that can easily pass through the skin to hit the organs and bounce back to the device. It records the echoes and produces detailed images of the organs on the monitor. Those images can distinguish between harmless cysts and those that can cause serious problems.

Ultrasound is used to detect these types of renal cysts:

1. Uncomplicated renal cysts: These cysts are well-marginated anechoic lesions (a structure that appears black on an ultrasound because it doesn’t send back any sound waves) found on thin walls of the kidneys. Around 5% of cysts may be easily visible. These cysts may include a small amount of intracystic hemorrhage, which requires further evaluation to understand whether it requires treatment or not.
2. Complicated cysts: These cysts are thickened and cause irregular walls or septa which increase the risk of renal cell carcinoma and need further evaluation for treatment. In some cases, contrast-enhanced ultrasound may be used to detect the vascularity of septa or nodular protuberances in a renal cyst and differentiate a benign cyst from an indeterminate cyst or a malignant-appearing cyst.

Proficiency of ultrasound

Ultrasound completes all the requirements to be used as an ideal diagnostic tool because it doesn’t expose the patient to radiation or contrast media, is an easily repeated process, has no need for patient preconditioning, and also offers good sensitivity and specificity.

Ultrasound can visualize the kidneys from both sides in a supinated position. In older patients, the examination is usually completed from the back while the patient is in a prone position. Due to the well-defined interface of the surrounding tissue, ultrasound can easily identify cysts even to the size of 1mm.

Modern ultrasound equipment uses probes to depict the spectrum of renal diseases through the whole pediatric age range. For that, it requires 8 MHz of a linear probe for infants and 4 MHz of a sector probe for adolescents. Generally, kidney cysts are identified with B-mode scan only, however, modern technical facilities such as Doppler or harmonic mode may make it easier to orient and increase sensitivity.

Keep in mind that ultrasound in children for renal cysts is not limited to the kidneys because multiple organs are involved in systemic cystic disease or syndromes which need to be anticipated and included in the diagnostic workup.

Other imaging test modalities may add additional information, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can look for extrarenal organ involvement within interventional studies. Radiological studies may help with urological pathologies such as vesicoureteral reflux and scintigraphy helps measure renal function. This increasing knowledge can help to understand the genetic basis of cystic kidney diseases which allows us to identify its hereditary origin.

Other diagnostic methods

Besides ultrasound, the doctor may use these diagnostics tests to detect renal cysts, including:

3. Computerized tomography (CT) scan:

In this imaging test, doctors use a combination of X-rays and computer technology to generate 3D images. It may require a contrast dye to be injected into the arm vein, which travels in the body. For these scans, patients need to lie down on a table that moves into a device shaped like a tunnel where the X-rays will pass through the body and detect the contrast dye. These images can reveal tumors and cysts present in the kidneys. It mostly detects simple and hyperattenuating cysts in the kidneys.

4. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan:

In this test, the doctor uses magnets, radio waves, and a computer to process and create images of your kidneys. It also involves the use of contrast dye. A person needs to lie on a table that is moved into a tunnel-like machine where radio waves are passed through your body and captured by powerful magnets which are then processed by the computer and produce detailed images of organs and tissues. These scans can reveal any cysts or tumors, even if the cysts are either filled with fluid or solid masses.

5. Kidney function tests:

In this test, the doctor takes your blood and urine sample to check how well your kidneys are working and if the cyst is affecting their function.

When the cyst is detected, your doctor may recommend monitoring. If that is the case, then you need to repeat imaging tests every 6 months to 2 years. If the cyst causes symptoms between your follow-up appointments, you should call your doctor.

Treatment

If you are diagnosed with a simple kidney cyst that causes no symptoms and doesn’t affect kidney function, then, you may not need treatment, instead, monitoring is recommended. Your doctor will tell you when you should schedule imaging tests like ultrasounds to see whether the kidney cyst changes or not. Sometimes, a simple cyst goes away on its own.

However, in case a cyst is pressing on another organ or affecting your kidney function, cyst removal might be necessary. In case your doctor believes the cyst might be cancerous, then he/she may also decide to remove it.

To treat the cyst that causes symptoms, your doctor may recommend treatment. The most common methods of kidney cyst treatment include:

• Aspiration and sclerotherapy:

In this procedure, the doctor inserts a long needle under the skin to puncture the cyst and drain the fluid. Then, they use a solution to cause scarring to prevent the cyst from filling with fluid again. The solution that may be used includes saline, alcohol, or a chemical compound. Rarely, a long, thin needle may be inserted through the skin or the wall of the kidney cyst to shrink it. Once fluid is drained from the cyst a special solution is injected into the cyst to ensure it doesn’t reform.

• Surgery:

If a large cyst causes symptoms, you may need surgery. Surgery is usually done through the laparoscopy method. In this procedure, the doctor makes small incisions in the skin of your abdomen. Then, they insert special tools and a small video camera. Surgeons watch the video monitor to guide the tools to the kidney and use them to drain the fluid from the cyst. The walls of the cyst are either cut or burned away. Surgery is rarely performed for simple cysts rather than complex cysts with changes that may lead to cancer.

Renal ultrasound for cyst detection is a good option and the most preferable by most doctors because it offers many benefits over other imaging tests. It is easy to perform, cheap, safe, and effective, making this a more suitable choice to detect and treat cysts. In case, ultrasound doesn’t pick the cysts, or the doctor needs more information about the cysts then other imaging tests like CT scan or MRI are used.

If you need help with your kidney cysts or problems, visit our nephrology clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical attention that ensures your problem gets proper treatment. Call us to book your appointment now!! At Doral Health and Wellness Urology Center, our team of urologists will work with you in managing your disease and your quality of life. We also offer services, such as renal and bladder ultrasound. To schedule an appointment, please visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212 or call 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://www.urologistbrooklyn.com/.