Kidney nontumor / medical renal
Developmental & cystic diseases
Medullary sponge kidney
Author: Mandolin S. Ziadie, M.D.
Last author update: 1 December 2011
Last staff update: 15 June 2022
Copyright: 2003-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Medullary sponge kidney
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Epidemiology | Clinical features | Treatment | Gross description | Gross images | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Additional referencesCite this page: Ziadie MS. Medullary sponge kidney. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/kidneytumormedullarysponge.html. Accessed April 18th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Sporadic cystic disease characterized by bilateral cystic dilations of medullary collecting ducts; normal cortex
Epidemiology
- 1 per 5000 births; no gender preference; not familial
- Associated with hemihypertrophy of body (25% of cases), Marfan's, Caroli's and Ehlers-Danlos
Clinical features
- Usually presents in adulthood
- Patients are usually asymptomatic with normal renal function
- Calcifications on Xray, stones, hematuria and infection at age 30+ years
- Does not progress to end stage renal disease
- Diagnosed with intravenous pyelography
Treatment
- Cranberry juice to maintain urinary acidity
- Nephrectomy is NOT recommended
Gross description
- Normal sized kidneys with multiple, small cysts in medullary pyramids and papillae, giving medulla a sponge-like appearance
- Most often bilateral
Gross images
Images hosted on other servers:
Cysts of inner medullary and papillary region
Extensive cysts communicating with each other
Papillae are interspersed due to variably sized cysts
Small cysts with stones, papillae on right is not affected
Numerous medullary cysts and isolated cortical cyst
Cysts at corticomedullary junction
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Medullary cysts lined by cuboidal epithelium or urothelium
- May have concretions adherent to cyst wall
- Often severe inflammation and scarring in interstitium, often with tubular atrophy near papillary tips
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on other servers:
Cysts in papilla
With microlithiasis and chronic pyelonephritis
Cortical cyst, multiple cysts
at the corticomedullary
junction and atypically
located papillary cyst
Additional references
