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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffSeveral diagnostic methods are available to detect the size and number of cysts as well as to evaluate the amount of healthy kidney tissue.
- Ultrasound examination. In this common diagnostic method, a wand-like device called a transducer is placed on your body. It emits inaudible sound waves that are reflected back to the transducer — like sonar. A computer translates those reflected sound waves into a moving image of your kidneys.
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan. As you lie on a movable table, you're guided into a big doughnut-shaped device that passes very thin X-ray beams through your body. Your doctor is able to see cross-sectional images of your kidneys.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. As you lie inside a large cylinder, magnetic fields and radio waves generate cross-sectional views of your kidneys.
- Genetic testing. Gene linkage analysis involves special blood tests for you and for at least three family members who are known either to have or not to have polycystic kidney disease. Then, the results of your blood tests are compared with the results of the tests of your family members. Because ultrasound and other imaging tests generally result in a definitive diagnosis, this test is often only used when a young family member is considering donating a kidney. It may also be used when results of the imaging tests aren't conclusive.
References
- Polycystic kidney disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/polycystic/. Accessed May 19, 2009.
- Polycystic kidney disease. Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/atoz/pdf/polycystic.pdf. Accessed May 19, 2009.
- Salant DJ, et al. Polycystic kidney disease and other inherited tubular disorders, In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2874530. Accessed May 22, 2009.
- Polycystic kidney disease. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=polycystickidneydisease. Accessed May 19, 2009.
- Grantham JJ. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. New England Journal of Medicine. 2008;359:1477.
- How is high blood pressure treated? National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbp/HBP_Treatments.html. Accessed May 22, 2009.
