Kidney Diseases

Kidney

05/02/2008 08:19AM

Question:

My left kidney is 12.1cm containig 0.7cm cortex cyst in the upper pole. How serious is that?

Answer:

Probably not serious at all. Cysts in the kidneys are very common, especially in people over the age of 50. A cyst that is round, thin-walled, and filled with watery fluid is called a "simple" cyst. A cyst that contains blood or tissue, or that has dividing walls or "septations" within it, is of concern because it may be (or become) malignant. Small simple cysts (especially those less than 2-3 cm in diameter) are usually ignored, while larger ones and/or ones with worrisome characteristics may be reevaluated within 3-6 months to see if they've grown or changed, or may be evaluated immediately with another study such as an ultrasound or MRI. The radiologist who read your study may have made some comment about whether the cyst appeared to be simple, and may have made a recommendation about further evaluation or follow-up. However, for such a small cyst, they may not even have commented, since such cysts are so very common.

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Response by:

Mildred Lam, MD
Associate Professor
Nephrology Division
MetroHealth Medical Center
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University