Help - i have a cyst in my liver

I am so worried at the moment. I went for an ultrasound scan for gallstones and they found by chance that I have a cyst in my liver. I now need to go for an MRI so that they can look at the cyst in more detail (it is a complex cyst). I am so terrified it's cancer. Has anyone else had a similar experience and does diabetes cause these cysts?

mrspuddleduck said:

I've had a cyst on my liver for 16 years, never changed, never bothers me. My friend is the same, shes had hers for 5 years. Neither of us have any treatment for them. Obviously we are all different but I was told they are quite common, normally found by chance so I hope you are as lucky as we have been! Sue xxxxx

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hello, thanks for your reply. My next step now is to wait for an MRI scan appointment which hopefully will tell me more about my cyst. I think what concerns me is a) that it is complex and b) that it is IN the liver not ON the liver. Anyway, I am keeping everything crossed that it will just need monitoring and nothing else as the thought of surgery scares me especially with me having diabetes and my age (I'm 53).

JTL said:

I have tumours inside my spinal cord.
They haven't changed in shape or size for the six years they've been known about.
They cause me quite a bit of pain and loss of sensation but it's a matter of living with them as it's to dangerous to operate.
I've learned that the majority of tumours and cysts and growths are discovered by chance while checking other things and most of the population are walking around with stuff like this but may never know it.

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Hello, thanks for taking the time to reply back to me. Yes, the GP said that people are walking around unaware that they have cysts inside their body. I am keeping everything crossed that this cyst can just be monitored and hope that even though it is classed as a 'complex' cyst, it can still be OK not to operate as trying to remove it from inside my liver sounds like a complicated operation to me. I also have fatty liver (this too was picked up from my ultrasound scan) so am now on a huge mission to lose weight and have lost 10lbs already. I have had a lot of blood tests just recently and all have come back normal which I suppose is a help. I must admit it was a huge shock to find this out and I am still very worried until I know more about it.

Please can someone reply back to me with any advice? i am so worried. My MRI scan has shown that my complex cyst could be a Hydatid cyst (parastic cyst) which i had never even heard of before and is quite rare but have googled the internet and it sounds pretty horrid and scary. Has anyone else had this type of cyst? i just feel my whole world is crashing down around me :-(

thanks i will have a look at this. I just hope my consultant will put me at ease a little when i see him on Friday, can't bear the thought of having these parasites inside me :-(

hello i was diagnosed with a cyst in my liver a few weeks ago when i had an ultrasound scan as i thought i had gallstones. It turns out that an MRI scan has identified the 'complex' cyst as being a possible hydatid cyst (i am waiting to have a blood test to confirm this). I have been doing a lot of googling on it and it is really scary and horrid sounding, i could have had it inside me for years growing and it was only picked up by chance having the ultrasound. I just now want to get it treated ASAP as i can't stop thinking about it. It is basically a parasitic cyst (tapeworm) which can be picked up by dogs, cats and eating infected meat so there's no way of telling how i got it. I did have a pet dog a few years ago but i always made sure she was de-wormed regularly.

Hello I've decided to post online my MRI scan report which I received on Friday. I am due to see the Consultant on Friday as I had a pre-booked appointment but I just want to double check that this report is basically saying that whatever I have in my liver are NOT cancer. Thanks.

Report Summary

Clinical History : RUQ pain - US complex cyst

MRI liver with contrast

Ultrasound reviewed

There is a 2.7 x 3.6cm cyst noted in segment 3 of the liver. Irregular contour to the cyst outline, with some thin internal septations. No post contrast enhancement identified.

15 mm haemangioma in the posterior aspect of segment 4. Further small simple cyst noted in segment 2

Simple cyst noted in the kidneys.

Impression:
Complex cystic lesion left lobe of liver, no soft tissue enhancement. This could represent a hydatid cyst. Hydatid serology should be performed.

One of my regular GP's that I saw on Friday said "well from the report, we are at least getting to know a bit more, it's not cancer" (his words).

Would I be OK in taking his word for it? Once I've read and re-read the report I am starting to doubt myself thinking well they still don't know but they have pointed out that my 'complex' cyst could be a hydatid one.

How would someone else read this? much appreciated.

Hello All, thanks for your comments. I spoke with my regular GP this morning and she was very reassuring, I don't think I can do much until I see the consultant on Friday where I hope I will at least get some questions answered. She actually said that it may just be a simple cyst that has just turned 'complex' and they may just leave it alone and monitor it. I think the blood test that I am due to have is an 'antibodies' one which will basically show up as high if there is an infected cyst because that is telling me that my antibodies are fighting against the cyst. I think it is the not knowing that causes the worst worry.

Hello All, thought i would send an update. I saw the Consultant this AM and basically i had a blood test done there which is to see for a sign of any infection. If there is an infection then i will be put on a course of antibiotics. He wants to see me in a month's time and then will have a follow up scan 3 - 4 months later. He showed me on his computer the images from the MRI scan and the liver looks fine, the cyst is not in an obstructive area (ie the bile ducts) and he said worse case scenario, it would be operable rather than inoperable but basically left it at that - he is not too concerned about it all and it is NOT cancerous, which i guess is the best news possible. After weeks of worry, i am starting to feel a bit more like my normal self.