Acquired multiple bilateral cystic transformation of kidneys has been increasingly noted in patients with long-standing renal failure treated by chronic dialysis. To study the clinical characteristics of this newly described disease and assess the utility of available diagnostic methods, 130 patients with chronic renal failure (100 on dialysis, 30 nondialyzed) were studied with ultrasonography and/or computerized tomography (CT). Among patients on dialysis, 22% had acquired renal cystic disease (ARCD), an additional 30% had one to three solitary cysts, and 48% had no cysts. In nondialyzed patients, 7% had ARCD, 53% had one to three solitary cysts, and 40% had no cysts. Among these 130 chronic renal failure patients (nondialyzed and dialyzed), 21 of 86 males compared to 1 of 44 females had ARCD (P less than 0.001). Duration of dialysis therapy and age were greater in patients with ARCD (49.8 +/- 8 months, 55 +/- 4 years, respectively) compared to those with solitary cysts (28 +/- 6 months, 45 +/- 2 years) or no cysts (15 +/- 3 months, 42 +/- 2 years). The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound (US) was compared to CT. CT is purportedly 100% accurate in the characterization of renal cysts. We are disappointed at the low level of diagnostic accuracy for both CT and US in the detection of renal cysts in chronic uremia. It appears both a negative CT and ultrasound are necessary to absolutely exclude either ARCD or solitary cyst.