Scared! - Kidney Disorders Message Board

Lakelover · 03-08-2007, 12:15 PM

My 29 year old "healthy" son was just diagnosed with a large mass on his kidney. The testing was done due to blood in the urine. They have done ultrasound, CT scan, cystology, and intravenous pyelogram tests so far. The urologist says he is "puzzled" as to what this is because after these tests he did not see what he thought he would see. He says that this looks very unusual, especially for someone his age. Now he wants him to visit with a urologist at M.D. Anderson in Houston. The cytology reports came back "negative" however. Does anyone out there have any advice. I'm not sure WHO to trust and wonder how many opinions we should get on this. He says he would not want to remove the kidney unnecessarily in someone that young.

duzford · 03-09-2007, 06:34 AM

Have they done a CT with contrast. Usually not but the CT with contrast shows if any of the neighboring organs are effected the kidney. I had stuck stones and the CT showed a benign tumor. Once the tumor was out the stones quickly followed suit. I don't mean to suggest he has a tumor but another organ could be swollen or bruised and the swelling is putting pressure on the kidney and/or urinary tract.

Good luck - my fingers and toes are crossed for him.

boz · 03-09-2007, 11:16 AM

Hi,
I understand your worrying.
A kidney biopsy is needed, regarless of what scans etc say.
My sister had an ultrasound in a general hospital which showed the left kidney to be enlarged with cysts, A second ultrasound in a renal unit two weeks later showed both kidneys normal if not a touch small. !!!
Now who does she believe .............. Jo.

Isis498 · 03-10-2007, 11:51 AM

Fact is: he has a mass on his kidney, he had blood in his urine. He needs to go ON and see the other Urologist in Houston and see what he has to say. Or did I misunderstand, and he has already gone? Anyway, even if he has, I would go on to at LEAST one more for another. Another opinion is good. Then he can go from there.

My brother had the very same thing happen to him, same symptoms and I'm sad to say his outcome was not good, so it's ALWAYS good to get to the bottom of things, for peace of mind. Better safe than sorry.

And yes, a Urologist is the proper Dr. to see at this point, as a Nephrologist generally handles kidney functional issues. If need be, they can send him on to one of them later.

A large mass on a kidney is not normal and needs to be resovled one way or another.

Good luck. Will also keep my fingers crossed for the both of you.