Adventitial Cystic Disease

Adventitial cystic disease is a rare vascular condition characterized by the formation of a cyst within the outer layer of an artery.

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With adventitial cystic disease, a cyst made of a mucous-like substance forms in an artery. This limits or blocks blood flow.

The condition is most common in the popliteal artery, which supplies blood to the:

If you have adventitial cystic disease, you may feel:

Pain or heaviness in your legs or behind the knee especially when you walk or exercise.
Cramps in the legs.

In most cases, the pain will slowly go away when you stop moving.

For most people, symptoms of adventitial cystic disease go away after a few weeks or months.

To diagnose adventitial cystic disease, your UPMC vascular surgeon will:

Tests that can confirm the location and size of the cyst include:

Ultrasound — a type of scan that uses sound waves to image the artery and measure blood flow.
Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) — a type of CT scan that shows areas around the knee with poor blood flow or narrowed arteries.
Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) — an imaging test that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to check soft tissue within the body.

Treatment for adventitial cystic disease often includes surgery.

Your surgeon will remove the cyst and/or replace the section of the blood vessel where the cyst formed.

Last reviewed by a UPMC medical professional on 2024-10-01.