BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuPolycystic kidney diseaseCysts - kidneys; Kidney - polycystic; Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease; ADPKD Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a kidney disorder passed down through families. In this disease, many cysts form in the kidneys, causing them to become enlarged. Causes PKD is passed down through families (inherited). The two inherited forms of PKD are autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive.Autosomal dominantAutosomal dominant is one of many ways that a trait or disorder can be passed down through families. In an autosomal dominant disease, if you get the...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Autosomal recessiveAutosomal recessive is one of several ways that a trait, disorder, or disease can be passed down through families. An autosomal recessive disorder me...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article People with PKD have many clusters of cysts in the kidneys. What exactly triggers the cysts to form is unknown. PKD is associated with the following conditions:Aortic aneurysms Brain aneurysms AneurysmsAn aneurysm is an abnormal widening or ballooning of a part of an artery due to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cysts in the liver, pancreas, and testes TestesThe testes are 2 egg-shaped male reproductive organs located in the scrotum. They produce sperm and the male hormone, testosterone.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Diverticula of the colonDiverticulaDiverticula are small, bulging sacs or pouches that form on the inner wall of the intestine. Diverticulitis occurs when these pouches become inflame...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article As many as half of people with PKD have cysts in the liver. Symptoms Symptoms of PKD may include any of the following:Abdominal pain or tenderness Abdominal painAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood in the urine Blood in the urineBlood in your urine is called hematuria. The amount may be very small and only detected with urine tests or under a microscope. In other cases, the...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Excessive urination at night (nocturia) Excessive urination at nightNormally, the amount of urine your body produces decreases at night. This allows most people to sleep 6 to 8 hours without having to urinate. Some p...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Flank pain on one or both sides Flank painFlank pain is pain in one side of the body between the upper belly area (abdomen) and the back.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Joint pain Joint painJoint pain can affect one or more joints.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nail abnormalitiesNail abnormalitiesNail abnormalities are problems with the color, shape, texture, or thickness of the fingernails or toenails.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exams and Tests An examination may show:Abdominal tenderness over the liver Abdominal tendernessAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Enlarged kidneys Enlarged liver Enlarged liverEnlarged liver refers to swelling of the liver beyond its normal size. Hepatomegaly is another word to describe this problem. If both the liver and ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Heart murmurs or other signs of aortic insufficiency or mitral insufficiency Heart murmursA heart murmur is a blowing, whooshing, or rasping sound heard during a heartbeat. The sound is caused by turbulent (rough) blood flow through the h...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Aortic insufficiencyAortic regurgitation is a heart valve disease in which the aortic valve does not close tightly. This allows blood to flow from the aorta (the larges...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article High blood pressure Growths in the abdomenTests that may be done include:Cerebral angiography Cerebral angiographyCerebral angiography is a procedure that uses a special dye (contrast material) and x-rays to see how blood flows through the brain.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Complete blood count (CBC) to check for anemia Complete blood countA complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Liver tests (blood) UrinalysisUrinalysisUrinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article People with a personal or family history of PKD who have headaches should be tested to determine if cerebral aneurysms are the cause.PKD and cysts on the liver or other organs may be found using the following tests:CystsA cyst is a closed pocket or pouch of tissue. It can be filled with air, fluid, pus, or other material.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Abdominal CT scan Abdominal CT scanAn abdominal CT scan is an imaging method. This test uses x-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the belly area. CT stands for computed tomog...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Abdominal MRI scan Abdominal MRIAn abdominal magnetic resonance imaging scan is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves. The waves create pictures of the inside ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Abdominal ultrasound Abdominal ultrasoundAbdominal ultrasound is a type of imaging test. It is used to look at organs in the abdomen, including the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)Intravenous pyelogramAn intravenous pyelogram (IVP) is a special x-ray exam of the kidneys, bladder, and ureters (the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladd...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article If several members of your family have PKD, genetic tests can be done to determine whether you carry the PKD gene. Treatment The goal of treatment is to control symptoms and prevent complications. Treatment may include:Blood pressure medicines Diuretics (water pills) Low-salt dietAny urinary tract infection should be treated quickly with antibiotics.Cysts that are painful, infected, bleeding, or causing a blockage may need to be drained. There are usually too many cysts to make it practical to remove each cyst.Surgery to remove one or both kidneys may be needed. Treatments for end-stage kidney disease may include dialysis or a kidney transplant.End-stage kidney diseaseEnd-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is the last stage of long-term (chronic) kidney disease. This is when your kidneys can no longer support your body's...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article DialysisDialysis treats end-stage kidney disease also called kidney failure. It removes waste from your blood when your kidneys can no longer do their job. ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney transplantA kidney transplant is surgery to place a healthy kidney into a person with kidney failure.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Support Groups More information and support for people with polycystic kidney disease and their families can be found at a kidney disease support group.Kidney disease support groupThe following organizations are good resources for information on kidney disease:American Geriatrics Society's Health in Aging Foundation -- www. hea...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) The disease gets worse slowly. Eventually, it may lead to end-stage kidney failure. It is also associated with liver disease, including infection of liver cysts.Kidney failureAcute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your b...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Liver diseaseThe term "liver disease" applies to many conditions that stop the liver from working or prevent it from functioning well. Abdominal pain or swelling...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may relieve symptoms for many years.People with PKD who don't have other diseases may be good candidates for a kidney transplant. Possible Complications Health problems that may result from PKD include:Anemia AnemiaAnemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Different type...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bleeding or rupture of cysts Long-term (chronic) kidney disease End-stage kidney disease High blood pressure Infection of liver cysts Kidney stones Kidney stonesA kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Liver failure (mild to severe) Repeated urinary tract infectionsUrinary tract infectionsA urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection of the urinary tract. The infection can occur at different points in the urinary tract, including...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if:You have symptoms of PKD You have a family history of PKD or related disorders and you are planning to have children (you may want to have genetic counseling) Prevention Currently, no treatment can prevent the cysts from forming or enlarging.Open ReferencesReferencesArnaout MA. Cystic kidney diseases. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 112.Torres VE, Harris PC. Cystic diseases of the kidney. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 45.AllVideoImagesTogKidney and liver cysts - CT scan - illustration This abdominal CT scan shows cysts in the liver and kidneys (polycystic disease). The liver is the large organ on the left side of the screen. The dark spots in the liver are cysts.Kidney and liver cysts - CT scanillustrationLiver and spleen cysts - CT scan - illustration This abdominal CT scan shows multiple cysts in the liver and spleen. Note the dark circular cyst in the liver (left side of screen) and the large, irregular, circular cyst in the spleen (bottom, right side of screen).Liver and spleen cysts - CT scanillustrationKidney and liver cysts - CT scan - illustration This abdominal CT scan shows cysts in the liver and kidneys (polycystic disease). The liver is the large organ on the left side of the screen. The dark spots in the liver are cysts.Kidney and liver cysts - CT scanillustrationLiver and spleen cysts - CT scan - illustration This abdominal CT scan shows multiple cysts in the liver and spleen. Note the dark circular cyst in the liver (left side of screen) and the large, irregular, circular cyst in the spleen (bottom, right side of screen).Liver and spleen cysts - CT scanillustrationA Closer Look Diabetes - type 2 - InDepth(In-Depth) Tests for Polycystic kidney disease Abdominal CT scanRelated Information Cyst(Symptoms)Aneurysm(Condition)Diverticulitis(Condition)Testes(Special Topic)Erythropoietin test(Medical Test)Flank pain(Symptoms)Kidney stones(Condition)High blood pressure in adults – hypertension(Condition)Acute kidney failure(Condition)Liver disease(Condition)High blood pressure - InDepth(In-Depth)Kidney stones - InDepth(In-Depth)Anemia - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 8/28/2023 Reviewed By: Walead Latif, MD, Nephrologist and Clinical Associate Professor, Rutgers Medical School, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. 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Polycystic kidney diseaseCysts - kidneys; Kidney - polycystic; Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease; ADPKD Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a kidney disorder passed down through families. In this disease, many cysts form in the kidneys, causing them to become enlarged. Causes PKD is passed down through families (inherited). The two inherited forms of PKD are autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive.Autosomal dominantAutosomal dominant is one of many ways that a trait or disorder can be passed down through families. In an autosomal dominant disease, if you get the...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Autosomal recessiveAutosomal recessive is one of several ways that a trait, disorder, or disease can be passed down through families. An autosomal recessive disorder me...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article People with PKD have many clusters of cysts in the kidneys. What exactly triggers the cysts to form is unknown. PKD is associated with the following conditions:Aortic aneurysms Brain aneurysms AneurysmsAn aneurysm is an abnormal widening or ballooning of a part of an artery due to weakness in the wall of the blood vessel.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cysts in the liver, pancreas, and testes TestesThe testes are 2 egg-shaped male reproductive organs located in the scrotum. They produce sperm and the male hormone, testosterone.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Diverticula of the colonDiverticulaDiverticula are small, bulging sacs or pouches that form on the inner wall of the intestine. Diverticulitis occurs when these pouches become inflame...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article As many as half of people with PKD have cysts in the liver. Symptoms Symptoms of PKD may include any of the following:Abdominal pain or tenderness Abdominal painAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood in the urine Blood in the urineBlood in your urine is called hematuria. The amount may be very small and only detected with urine tests or under a microscope. In other cases, the...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Excessive urination at night (nocturia) Excessive urination at nightNormally, the amount of urine your body produces decreases at night. This allows most people to sleep 6 to 8 hours without having to urinate. Some p...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Flank pain on one or both sides Flank painFlank pain is pain in one side of the body between the upper belly area (abdomen) and the back.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Joint pain Joint painJoint pain can affect one or more joints.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nail abnormalitiesNail abnormalitiesNail abnormalities are problems with the color, shape, texture, or thickness of the fingernails or toenails.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exams and Tests An examination may show:Abdominal tenderness over the liver Abdominal tendernessAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Enlarged kidneys Enlarged liver Enlarged liverEnlarged liver refers to swelling of the liver beyond its normal size. Hepatomegaly is another word to describe this problem. If both the liver and ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Heart murmurs or other signs of aortic insufficiency or mitral insufficiency Heart murmursA heart murmur is a blowing, whooshing, or rasping sound heard during a heartbeat. The sound is caused by turbulent (rough) blood flow through the h...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Aortic insufficiencyAortic regurgitation is a heart valve disease in which the aortic valve does not close tightly. This allows blood to flow from the aorta (the larges...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article High blood pressure Growths in the abdomenTests that may be done include:Cerebral angiography Cerebral angiographyCerebral angiography is a procedure that uses a special dye (contrast material) and x-rays to see how blood flows through the brain.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Complete blood count (CBC) to check for anemia Complete blood countA complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Liver tests (blood) UrinalysisUrinalysisUrinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article People with a personal or family history of PKD who have headaches should be tested to determine if cerebral aneurysms are the cause.PKD and cysts on the liver or other organs may be found using the following tests:CystsA cyst is a closed pocket or pouch of tissue. It can be filled with air, fluid, pus, or other material.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Abdominal CT scan Abdominal CT scanAn abdominal CT scan is an imaging method. This test uses x-rays to create cross-sectional pictures of the belly area. CT stands for computed tomog...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Abdominal MRI scan Abdominal MRIAn abdominal magnetic resonance imaging scan is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves. The waves create pictures of the inside ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Abdominal ultrasound Abdominal ultrasoundAbdominal ultrasound is a type of imaging test. It is used to look at organs in the abdomen, including the liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, and...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)Intravenous pyelogramAn intravenous pyelogram (IVP) is a special x-ray exam of the kidneys, bladder, and ureters (the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladd...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article If several members of your family have PKD, genetic tests can be done to determine whether you carry the PKD gene. Treatment The goal of treatment is to control symptoms and prevent complications. Treatment may include:Blood pressure medicines Diuretics (water pills) Low-salt dietAny urinary tract infection should be treated quickly with antibiotics.Cysts that are painful, infected, bleeding, or causing a blockage may need to be drained. There are usually too many cysts to make it practical to remove each cyst.Surgery to remove one or both kidneys may be needed. Treatments for end-stage kidney disease may include dialysis or a kidney transplant.End-stage kidney diseaseEnd-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is the last stage of long-term (chronic) kidney disease. This is when your kidneys can no longer support your body's...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article DialysisDialysis treats end-stage kidney disease also called kidney failure. It removes waste from your blood when your kidneys can no longer do their job. ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney transplantA kidney transplant is surgery to place a healthy kidney into a person with kidney failure.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Support Groups More information and support for people with polycystic kidney disease and their families can be found at a kidney disease support group.Kidney disease support groupThe following organizations are good resources for information on kidney disease:American Geriatrics Society's Health in Aging Foundation -- www. hea...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) The disease gets worse slowly. Eventually, it may lead to end-stage kidney failure. It is also associated with liver disease, including infection of liver cysts.Kidney failureAcute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your b...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Liver diseaseThe term "liver disease" applies to many conditions that stop the liver from working or prevent it from functioning well. Abdominal pain or swelling...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may relieve symptoms for many years.People with PKD who don't have other diseases may be good candidates for a kidney transplant. Possible Complications Health problems that may result from PKD include:Anemia AnemiaAnemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Different type...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bleeding or rupture of cysts Long-term (chronic) kidney disease End-stage kidney disease High blood pressure Infection of liver cysts Kidney stones Kidney stonesA kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Liver failure (mild to severe) Repeated urinary tract infectionsUrinary tract infectionsA urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection of the urinary tract. The infection can occur at different points in the urinary tract, including...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if:You have symptoms of PKD You have a family history of PKD or related disorders and you are planning to have children (you may want to have genetic counseling) Prevention Currently, no treatment can prevent the cysts from forming or enlarging.Open ReferencesReferencesArnaout MA. Cystic kidney diseases. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 112.Torres VE, Harris PC. Cystic diseases of the kidney. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 45.