Tests / Diagnosis for Kidney Disease
How is Kidney Disease Diagnosed?
There are a hundreds of screening, diagnostic and monitoring tests for kidney disease available to you and your doctor. Knowing what they test for as well as their benefits and limitations will help you become a more informed patient.
Screening Tests
Early detection and treatment of kidney disease is critical to keeping kidney disease from progressing on to kidney failure. Simple screening tests for kidney disease can help identify kidney disease early in the disease process. A good screening of your kidneys involves measuring your blood pressure, checking your urine, and drawing a small amount of blood.
Standard Blood Tests
There are dozens of different blood tests used in kidney disease. Many of them are grouped into test panels that are routinely obtained whether kidney disease is suspected or not. Others are specialty-ordered test specifically designed to diagnose or monitor kidney disease. Here are the most commonly ordered kidney-related blood tests.
Standard Urine Tests
Testing the urine can help assess how well your kidneys are functioning as well as offer important clues to many different kinds of kidney disease. Urine tests are usually performed on a small amount (called a “spot urine test”) but sometimes a larger collection of urine is needed (called a “24 hour urine collection”).
Radiology Imaging Tests
A number of radiology tests are helpful when working up and/or diagnosing a particularly kidney disease. Each can vary widely in their sensitivity or specificity for a particular disease, cost, and risk.
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