Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) complicated with Polycystic Liver Disease

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is always complicated by Polycystic Liver Disease which means than there are more than three cysts forming in liver, located along hepatic duct. Generally, female are a little more than male among such patients. Incidence of this disease increases from 20% at 3 years old to 75% at 70 years old, with familial inheriting tendency. Patients who survive for more than ten years after successful allograft renal transplantation suffer from Polycystic Liver Disease at the same time. Polycystic Liver Disease is mainly caused by excessive proliferation of bile duct epithelia and interstitium which can cause multi-cysts to liver fibrous tissue, including dilatation of both intrahepatic bile duct and extrahepatic bile duct, limited dilation of intrahepatic bile duct and congenital hepatic fibrosis. Besides, estrogen can also affect liver cysts growing.

As for the sizes of liver cysts, the tiny one can be found under microscope and the big one may be as large as the whole abdominal cavity. And liver volume becomes huge from normal size. Liver enlargement caused by cysts can compress healthy liver parenchyma, which causes liver atrophy. If liver parenchyma can be protected effectively, liver function can keep in a normal range.


Abdominal Type-B Ultrasonic examination and CT scan are reliable methods of diagnosing cyst internal bleeding, while MRI examination has significant role in distinguishing Hemorrhagic liver cyst or non-Hemorrhagic liver cyst and other liver diseases.