Purpose: To compare the capabilities and evaluate the effectiveness of gray-scale B-mode, Doppler mapping and contrast enhanced in the assessment of cystic renal lesions.Material and methods: Ultrasound examination (US) was performed in 61 patients with cystic kidney formations (category Bosniak ≥ II). Cysts of categories Bosniak ≥ III were histologically verified, rest (categories II–IIF) were under follow up. All patients underwent gray-scale ultrasound, color Doppler imaging and contrast enhanced (CEUS).Results: The efficiency of the B mode was: sensitivity 55.6 %; specificity 72.1 %; accuracy 62.3 %, in the CDI mode these indicators were 52.8; 80.1; 63.9 %, respectively. Contrast ultrasound significantly increased the capabilities of the method, and also made it possible to evaluate cystic formations according to the Bosniak criteria with indicators of the effectiveness of the method up to 100.0; 92.0; 96.7 %, respectively.Conclusions: CEUS demonstrated high informative value in the assessment of renal cystic formations in comparison with native ultrasound and Doppler modes, and therefore the technique should be considered as promising for inclusion in the algorithm of examination of complex renal cysts.