Learn about PKD
Symptoms and diagnosis
PKD can develop for years without obvious symptoms. This page covers what people may notice and the scans clinicians use to diagnose it.
Symptoms
Symptoms people may notice.
Cysts can grow for years before anything is obvious, so several of these turn up at a routine appointment rather than being reported. Having one of them does not mean you have PKD.
High blood pressure
Pain in the abdomen, side or back
Blood in the urine
A feeling of fullness in the abdomen
An increase in the size of the abdomen as the kidneys enlarge
Headaches
Kidney stones
Urinary tract or kidney infections
Loss of kidney function, up to kidney failure
When to ask
When to speak with a healthcare professional.
Book an appointment for symptoms such as persistent pain in the side or back, blood in the urine, or blood pressure that stays high.
Ask about screening if a parent, brother, sister or child has been diagnosed with PKD, even when you have no symptoms.
Hope4PKD is not a clinical or emergency service. For urgent symptoms, contact a qualified healthcare provider or an appropriate local emergency service.
Diagnosis
Scans help confirm PKD.
A clinician considers the number and size of kidney cysts alongside your age and family history. Ultrasound is usually the first scan.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is usually the first scan. A handheld probe sends sound waves through the abdomen to create an image of the kidneys, without radiation or an injection.
CT scan
A CT scan takes X-ray images from many angles inside a doughnut-shaped scanner. It can detect smaller cysts than ultrasound.
MRI scan
An MRI uses a magnetic field instead of X-rays and can measure total kidney volume, which helps clinicians track how quickly the disease is progressing.
Where this comes from
This page adapts information from Mayo Clinic, “Polycystic kidney disease”. Hope4PKD has not medically reviewed it. For advice about your own care, speak with a doctor or nurse, and read our medical disclaimer.
The support gap
A diagnosis still leaves practical questions.
After diagnosis, families may still need help finding information, coordinating providers, verifying costs and following through. Hope4PKD is developing that support pathway in Nigeria.