Materials and Methods: A YouTube search was performed on August 1, 2024, using the keywords "kidney cysts" and "renal cysts." The first 200 videos sorted by relevance were screened, and 147 eligible videos were included. Two independent urologists evaluated the videos using three validated tools: the Global Quality Scale (GQS), the modified DISCERN tool, and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria. Videos were categorized by content type and source of upload. Descriptive statistics were reported, and appropriate tests were used to assess associations between video characteristics and quality scores.

Results: Of the 147 videos analyzed, 71.4% were uploaded by professional sources, and "symptoms and diagnostic methods" was the most common content type. The median scores were 3 for GQS, 2 for modified DISCERN, and 2 for JAMA. According to the modified DISCERN tool, 57.2% of the videos were classified as poor quality, 33.3% as moderate, and only 9.5% as good quality. Videos from professional sources had significantly higher quality scores across all three systems. Longer videos and those with higher numbers of likes and comments tended to score better. A strong correlation was observed among the three scoring systems.

Conclusion: Despite many videos being produced by professional sources, the overall quality and reliability of YouTube content on kidney cysts remain limited. Given YouTube"s widespread use for health information, healthcare professionals should guide patients toward trustworthy resources. Future studies should focus on interventions to improve the accuracy and educational value of YouTube content.