Primary renal hydatid cyst: mis-interpretation as a renal malignancy

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Parasitology
• Radiology

Background:

• Primary renal echinococcosis is a rare parasitic infection, accounting for 2-3% of all human echinococcosis cases.
• Echinococcosis is caused by the larval stage of tapeworms from the genus Echinococcus.

Observation:

• A 64-year-old female patient from Uzbekistan presented with left flank pain.
• CT scan revealed a cystic mass in the left kidney, initially suspected as renal malignancy.
• A hand-assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomy was performed, revealing a large unilocular cyst with smaller cysts, lacking visible renal tissue.

Findings:

• The final pathological diagnosis was a renal hydatid cyst.
• The patient had relocated from an endemic area (Uzbekistan) to Korea.

Implications:

• Renal hydatid cysts should be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with kidney masses, especially those from endemic regions.
• This case underscores the importance of geographical origin in diagnosing rare renal pathologies.