Clinical feature: 

Definition: This group includes kidney diseases where renal cysts are the cardinal symptom and the predominant cause of progressive renal failure.

Diagnostics: 

Diagnosis: The diagnosis of cystic kidney diseases is made by diagnostic imaging. Because the typical morphological signs become apparent late in the course of the disease, molecular genetic analysis and family screening has gained an important role in early diagnosis and kidney donor selection.

Literature: 

Alexander F et al. (1970) Familial uremic medullary cystic disease.
Bergmann C et al. (2006) Diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment prospects in cystic kidney disease.
Hildebrandt F et al. (2005) Cilia and centrosomes: a unifying pathogenic concept for cystic kidney disease?
Bichet DG et al. (2004) The quest for the gene responsible for medullary cystic kidney disease type 1.
Bleyer AJ et al. (2004) Medullary cystic kidney disease type 2.
Cowley BD et al. (2004) Recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of polycystic kidney disease: therapeutic implications.