Kidney Problems? any1 know about renal cysts/calcifications?

msShelly

This may not really fit here, but this is the only section i could think of putting it. 

Due to my breast cancer diagnosis, ive been going over all my medical records and stumbled upon two pelvic studies from 2010 and 2012. After reading the two pelvic studies i am terrified. None of my 2 doctors ever duscussed the findings of a renal cyst with me (there were also ovarian cysts as i mentioned in another post) and i must have been oblivious because i am only realizing now i should have pursued this further. I just assumed the doctors were reading the same results I was-- Here are the results:

—–1. SUMMER 2010 PELVIC STUDY
Incidental left renal cyst found measuring 14mm in the upper pole, with some calcifications of the wall.

—SUMMER 2012 PELVIC STUDY
**nothing was noted about the kidney
BUT it did say mild bilateral hyrdophrenosis??!

I have read that renal cysts are common, but it says “with wall calcifications”??? In the breast, calcifications mean cancer or possible cancer right? I don’t know about the kidneys? Im really scared i could have another cancer that is by now far advanced. Could anyone with knowledge please help me understand my results? I originally thought the hydronephrosis was from my fibroids because I was told that my kidneys were in danger due to the fibroids, but maybe it is really from a problem with my kidney? I AM ALSO WONDERING IF PELVIC STUDIES ALWAYS SHOW THE KIDNEY? IF ON THE 2012 PELVIC STUDY NOTHING WAS MENTIONED ABOUT A KIDNEY CYST, CAN I ASSUME IT IS NOT A PROBLEM AND NOT CANCER?

anyway, I dont know who can help me or what i should do? I am sort of a mess at the moment. I can’t get into the gyno or internist until april and I am really scared about all this. I guess I should also note that due to my breast cancer, i am being tested for Cowdens Syndrome, which can raise the incidence of kidney cancer. This is why I am particularly worried about the renal cyst. If you know anything about the kidneys i would be so grateful.

Thank you.

MelissaDallas

I think kidney cysts are very common.



When you have scans all kinds of things show up that aren't necessarily anything to worry about. I've seen several things in my reports that they didn't mention because they aren't anything to worry about.



Some cysts show some calcifications in their walls, but there are other features that indicate to the radiologist that what you have is benign.



In breast calcifications, while some may be a sign of cancer most are benign too. Most women have some calcifications.



You can bring this up with your doctor, but I feel certain that they would have told you this needed further evaluation if it did.

msShelly

Melissa, thank you so much. it is really true that all these things show up... i never used to pay attention, but now every cyst/calcification is becoming a headache and i have them on my kidney, my colon AND my ovaries... i used to have fibrocystic breasts... all these things are starting to make me really think i have cowdens even though i dont have a big head, which the geneticist thought i should be evaluated for. 

I have heard that kidney cysts are usually very common and i can't believe that the radiologist wouldn't have written to follow up if it looked at all out of the ordinary, but then my mind goes to horror stories where doctors make mistakes. i guess the Cowdens syndrome thing is what is really causing me to freak out and i wish it didnt take so long to get into doctors for further follow-up.

thank you so much for responding. 

msShelly

Also, one question I had was do pelvic imaging studies always show the kidneys? the report in 2010 showed the cyst on the kidney, but the same type of imaging in 2012 did not even mention the kidneys. I was just wondering if kidneys and any other organs always show up on these imaging? I assume that would mean the radiologist would have gotten a view of my kidneys and determined there was nothing amiss in 2012. Thank you. 

MelissaDallas

You know, I'm trying to remember any mention of my kidneys in either my abdominal or pelvic scans & can't:) I'll have to look mine up.



The mistakes thing - never hurts to mention it just in case someone forgot. At least you can be reassured that it really is no big deal.

MelissaDallas

Oh well, we can't tell from my scans because they were combination pelvic/abdominal. Mine also says that an area of density of about 1cm in polar cortex of right kidney, most likely a cyst.



Seriously, you can go nuts looking at scan reports. I now know I have some tiny lung nodules, most likely a small area of fatty infiltration in my liver, a hemangioma on my spine & gallstones. None of them are anything to worry about right now.

msShelly

thanks melissa- yes im definitely gonna try to get in to the doc as soon as possible if only for reassurance. for some reason at the moment there is a run on docs though- everyone i have tried has months long waits.

but i am just gonna have to settle down until i can get the doc to reassure me. i do know the more they look, the more they find!! my mom only has ever had mammos- never a surgery or anything and she is in her late 70s. They haven't found any cysts or anything in her and you wonder why! hopefully this is just a cyst, even though i have also read they don't go away one you have one!  

MelissaDallas

I think a lot of little "idiosyncrasies" are incredibly common. We just now happen to know about more of ours.



Hope you get the reassurance you need.

msShelly

yes that is very true. thanks so much melissa. 

cinnamonsmiles

I found my kidney stones by accident when I got all my medical records from the hospital for poor quality treatment across departments for an appendectomy. They were called calcifications, which my ultrasound tech said in this case was another word for stones. I felt foolish for worrying, lol.

Had they bothered to tell me it was stones, I would not have had the ultrasounds.

No one bother to tell me either that I had kidney stones or atelectosis. Had I not gotten the records, I would have never know.

I had a kidney and bladder ultrasound and I have one or two small stones. Even though the possibility of my bc coming back is around 1-2%, it is still in the back of my mind.

I am glad I got them checked out, but I am not worried about it. Either they just stay there and do nothing or they grow, cause problems and I need to pass them or have another dang surgery.

marvelher2

I know this is an old thread, but in case others read and are worried about a small cyst or two on their kidneys...don't.  I have polycystic kidney and liver disease, and breast cancer.  With my level of disease, I have hundreds of cysts on both kidneys and my liver is about five times normal size and looks like bubble wrap.  The cysts measure anywhere from several mm to seven centimeters and are too numerous to count.  I had a surgery that removed 110 cysts from my liver and one kidney, several over 10 cm.  Yet even with this level of disease, because my kidneys and liver function normally, my doctors aren't too worried about me undergoing chemo for BC.  A cyst or two is just an incidental finding and should not be cause for worry.