Diagnosing PKD

Diagnosing Polycystic Kidney Disease

Many people with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) live a normal and healthy life up until early adulthood.  They may not notice any symptoms until they reach their 30s or 40s.  The first sign of PKD is often hypertension (high blood pressure) and pain in the side.

PKD can be best diagnosed through imaging.  This includes:

-Abdominal ultrasound
-CAT scan
-MRI

Ultrasound is typically used as it is cost effective and readily available.  Most cysts can be visualized using ultrasound.

An ultrasound is a non-invasive procedure that a doctor or other medical care worker will use to visualize an internal structure, in this case, the kidneys. In the following video, a patient who has had multiple ultrasounds talks about the procedure:

CAT scans and MRIs can also be helpful tools because they can help to image smaller cysts than can be seen with an ultrasound.  They are also sometimes used to look for bleeding or other complications. Providers will also often order a complete blood count (CBC) to check for anemia or infection as well as a urinalysis to check for protein or blood in the urine.

DNA Testing for PKD

DNA testing can also be done to check for PKD. In gene linkage testing several family members are tested and compared for markers of PKD.  The test is done on both those who are known to have PKD as well as those without PKD.  Additionally, direct testing can be done without additional family members to look for the markers of the genes known to be linked to PKD. Although genetic testing is accurate, it can be costly for patients and is not always covered by health insurance providers.


This is what a polycystic kidney looks like in an ultrasound:

And for comparison, here is a normal kidney in an ultrasound:

Note the large, dark areas in the top image. These are cysts, labeled "C." Several smaller cysts are can also be seen.  The bottom image is a healthy kidney.








Information from: Just Diagnosed. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2015, from http://www.pkdcure.org/learn/adpkd/just-diagnosed-questions

kidney cyst image: Retrieved January 28, 2015 from https://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/courses/rad/gu/kidneys/Images/adpckdus.jpg

normal kidney image: Retrieved January 28, 2015 from http://www.ultrasoundpaedia.com/uploads/53003/ufiles/kidney/normal/kid-ls-normal.jpg

info : http://www.pkdcure.org/learn/adpkd/just-diagnosed-questions