Other Cystic Kidney Diseases

Nephrologists are often asked to evaluate the significance of renal cysts, which are detected on diagnostic imaging unrelated to the kidney. In those over the age of 50 years, it is reported that up to 50% may have renal cysts on CT imaging, varying from the commonly seen simple cyst to rare hereditary cysts associated with renal dysfunction. These lesions are categorised according to the Bosniak classification, and advances in genetic sequencing mean that we are beginning to reveal the underlying genomic predisposition and biological mechanisms driving certain forms of cystic disease, which has implications for diagnostics and accurate disease classification. Simple cysts are benign, but for the more detrimental types of cysts, renal transplantation may be curative.