Kidney nontumor
Developmental & cystic diseases
Simple cysts
Author: Mandolin S. Ziadie, M.D.
Topic Completed: 1 November 2011
Minor changes: 1 October 2019
Copyright: 2003-2019, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Simple cysts [title] kidney
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Clinical features | Treatment | Gross description | Gross images | Microscopic (histologic) descriptionCite this page: Ziadie MS. Simple cysts. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/kidneytumorsimplecyst.html. Accessed November 29th, 2021.
Definition / general
- Occasional finding that increases with age (0.1% in children, 20% at age 50+ years) and may present as a mass lesion
Clinical features
- 65% of renal masses, may be confused with cystic renal cell carcinoma but avascular with smooth contours
- May calcify
- Hemorrhage may cause acute pain
Treatment
- Percutaneous aspiration
- Continuous negative pressure catheter drainage (AJR Am J Roentgenol 2008;190:1193)
- Sclerotherapy
Gross description
- Thin walled cortical cysts, measuring up to 10 cm, which are filled with clear yellow fluid
Gross images
Images hosted on other servers:
Simple cyst of upper pole
Large cyst
Multiple, smooth renal cysts filled with serous fluid
Solitary, smooth
kidney cyst
(lower pole) filled
with serous fluid
Large cortical cysts with dark red blood
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Single layer of cuboidal, flattened or atrophic epithelium
- May have thickened walls with hemosiderin laden macrophages and atrophic epithelium
