cística

Cística is a Portuguese term used in medical contexts to describe anything related to cysts or composed of cysts. The feminine form cística agrees with feminine nouns, as in lesões císticas. The word derives from the Greek kystis, through Latin cista, and denotes a sac or bladder.

In anatomy and pathology, cístico describes structures or conditions characterized by sacs filled with fluid and walled by a membrane. A lesão cística is typically a fluid-filled cavity; simple cysts usually have thin walls and clear fluid, while complex cysts may show septations, debris, thick walls, or solid components. The prefix policístico indicates multiple cysts, as in doença policística renal or doença policística hepática. The phrase fibrose cística is the Portuguese name for cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder affecting exocrine glands; here cística is part of a compound name rather than a description of the disease’s cystic nature.

Common sites for cystic conditions include the kidneys, liver, ovaries, and pancreas. Imaging plays a key role in evaluation; ultrasound is often the first step, with CT or MRI used for further characterization. Most simple cysts are benign and asymptomatic, requiring no treatment, while complex or symptomatic cysts may require monitoring, drainage, biopsy, or surgical intervention. In polycystic diseases, management focuses on controlling symptoms and preventing complications such as pain, infection, or organ dysfunction.

Cística, as a descriptor, is widely used across radiology, surgery, and internal medicine to distinguish lesions that resemble or contain cysts from noncystic pathology.