title: Growth of arachnoid cysts in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: serial imaging and clinical relevance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is an inherited disorder that results in the growth of cysts in the kidneys and other organs. Multisystemic involvement is common including affection of the central nervous system with cerebral aneurysms and arachnoid cysts.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective cohort study to investigate the prevalence and growth rate of arachnoid cysts in ADPKD patients. Participants enrolled in the SUISSE ADPKD cohort were offered cranial imaging for the detection of intracranial alterations. In the case of identified arachnoid cysts, patients were suggested to undergo follow-up imaging to assess the growth rate of the cysts. Volume of arachnoid cysts at the baseline and at follow-up visits was assessed by manual segmentation on a dedicated workstation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 109 ADPKD patients agreed to undergo cranial imaging. In 14 (12.8%) patients (9 males and 5 females), 18 singular arachnoid cysts were identified. The baseline volumes of individual cysts ranged from 1.8 to 337.6 cm(3). During a mean follow-up period of 24 months, the volume changes of 12 individual arachnoid cysts of nine patients ranged from -3.1 to 3.7 cm(3). Cystic lesions were mostly localized in the middle fossa. All affected patients were clinically asymptomatic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a higher prevalence of arachnoid cysts in ADPKD patients with more advanced disease. There was a large variability in size and growth. These arachnoid cysts were clinically silent and their growth pattern was subtle and unpredictable, in contrast to the much more foreseeable growth of the renal cysts.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology , University Hospital Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Krauer
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology , University Hospital Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Uzeyir
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ahmadli
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology , University Hospital Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kollias
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology , Hospital Zollikerberg in Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bleisch
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology , University Hospital Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rudolf P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Wüthrich
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology , University Hospital Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andreas L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology , University Hospital Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Poster
keywords: arachnoid cyst; autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease; extrarenal manifestation; intracranial alteration