What are the signs and symptoms of Polycystic Kidney Disease?
Usually the diagnosis of PCKD is not made until the age of 30 to 50, the time at which the symptoms first appear. Common presenting problems are: • Back pain • Abdominal complaints Blood in the urine • High blood pressure • Enlarged kidneys that are palpable on examination How is Polycystic Disease diagnosed? There are several ways that Polycystic Kidney Disease can be diagnosed. An ultrasound of the kidneys is usually the first step taken. If the diagnosis is not conclusive, an even more accurate test is the CT scan; it can detect cysts not seen by the ultrasound. A special blood test called, a gene linkage analysis can be done. This test involves looking for the abnormal gene that causes the disease. This test may be done on several people in the family who have the disease to determine if the gene is likely to be carried by others in the family. How is Polycystic Kidney Disease treated? There is no specific treatment available for Polycystic Kidney Disease, at the present time. The
