Kidney function test

A renal scan is a nuclear medicine test that shows how your kidneys work. A nuclear medicine technologist injects a small amount of radioactive material into your vein. Then they use a special camera to take pictures of your kidneys. Your healthcare provider uses the results to plan treatments for any kidney issues. Overview What is a renal scan? A renal scan is a Your healthcare provider injects small amounts of radioactive material (radioisotope or tracer) into your vein. You’ll pass through a scanner, which locates the radioactive material in your kidneys and sends images to a computer. A kidney scan helps your healthcare provider detect kidney diseases and injuries at an early stage. Your healthcare provider also uses renal scans to check your progress after a kidney transplant. When might I have a renal scan? Your healthcare provider orders a renal scan when they suspect your kidneys aren’t working as they should. Healthcare providers may first see signs of reduced kidney function levels using blood and urine tests or an X-ray. Your healthcare provider may also order a scan to check your kidneys if you: • Are allergic to the dye used in X-rays, making a renal scan a safer option. • Have had a • Have • Have blocked urinary drainage from your kidney. What conditions can a renal scan help diagnose? Renal scintigraphy helps diagnose: • High blood pressure in your renal arteries ( • • • • Narrowed or blocked renal arteries ( • Poor kidney function after surgery or a transp...

Overview A creatinine test is a measure of how well your kidneys are performing their job of filtering waste from your blood. Creatinine is a chemical compound left over from energy-producing processes in your muscles. Healthy kidneys filter creatinine out of the blood. Creatinine exits your body as a waste product in urine. Why it's done Your doctor or other health care provider may order a creatinine test for the following reasons: • To make a diagnosis if you have signs or symptoms of kidney disease • To screen for kidney disease if you have diabetes, high blood pressure or other conditions that increase the risk of kidney disease • To monitor kidney disease treatment or progression • To monitor for side effects of drugs that may include kidney damage or altered kidney function • To monitor the function of a transplanted kidney • • • How you prepare A standard blood test is used to measure creatinine levels in your blood (serum creatinine). Your doctor may ask you not to eat (fast) overnight before the test. For a creatinine urine test, you may need to collect urine over 24 hours in containers provided by the clinic. For either test, you may need to avoid eating meat for a certain period before the test. If you take a creatine supplement, you'll likely need to stop use. What you can expect For a serum creatinine test, a member of your health care team takes a blood sample by inserting a needle into a vein in your arm. For a urine test, you’ll need to provide a single sa...

Kidney biopsy During a kidney biopsy, your doctor uses a needle to remove a small sample of kidney tissue for lab testing. The biopsy needle is inserted through your skin and is often directed using the guidance of an imaging device, such as ultrasound. Glomerulonephritis may be identified with tests if you have an acute illness or during routine testing during a wellness visit or an appointment managing a chronic disease, such as diabetes. Tests to assess your kidney function and make a diagnosis of glomerulonephritis include: • Urine test. A urinalysis can reveal signs of poor kidney function, such as red blood cells and proteins that should not be in urine or white blood cells that are a sign of inflammation. There also may be a lack of the expected levels of waste products. • Blood tests. Analysis of blood samples can reveal higher than expected levels of waste products in the bloodstream, the presence of antibodies that may indicate an autoimmune disorder, bacterial or viral infection, or blood sugar levels indicating diabetes. • Imaging tests. If your doctor detects evidence of kidney disease, he or she may recommend imaging tests that may show an irregularity in the shape or size of the kidney. These tests may be an X-ray, an ultrasound exam or a CT scan. • Kidney biopsy. This procedure involves using a special needle to extract small pieces of kidney tissue to look at under a microscope. A biopsy is used to confirm a diagnosis and to assess the degree and nature of...

No. Looking at how much creatinine is in your blood is not the best way to check your kidney health. That’s because the level of creatinine in your blood is affected by your age, race, gender, and body size. (In other words, what’s considered “normal” depends on these factors.) The best way to know if your kidneys are working properly is by looking at your GFR is a routine lab that can be found on your blood work report.GFR is a calculation that includes your creatinine, along with your age, gender, race, and weight. Your GFR number will help your healthcare provider know if you have kidney disease. You may have kidney disease if your GFR number is: • Below 60 for three months • Above 60 with signs of kidney damage (having protein in the urine is a sign of kidney damage) Yes, another important test to check kidney function is a urine test. You will be asked to pee into a clean cup called a specimen cup. Only about two tablespoons of urine is neededto do the test. The urine will be sent to a laboratory, where a test called an ACR (albumin-to-creatinine ratio) is done. An ACR shows whether you have a type of protein called albumin in your urine.A normal amount of albumin in your urine is less than 30 mg/g. Anything above 30 mg/g may mean you have kidney disease, even if your GFR number is above 60. This test is also used to look at how likely it is that a person’s kidney disease will get worse. This is called risk for progression. Having high amounts of albumin points to a h...

• Your liver produces ammonia — which contains nitrogen — after it breaks down proteins used by your body's cells. • The nitrogen combines with other elements, such as carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, to form urea, which is a chemical waste product. • The urea travels from your liver to your kidneys through your bloodstream. • Healthy kidneys filter urea and remove other waste products from your blood. • The filtered waste products leave your body through urine. A BUN test can reveal whether your urea nitrogen levels are higher than normal, suggesting that your kidneys may not be working properly. Why it's done You may need a BUN test: • If your doctor suspects that you have kidney disease or damage • If your kidney function needs to be evaluated, especially if you have a chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure • To help determine the effectiveness of dialysis treatment if you're receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis • As part of a blood test group to help diagnose a number of other conditions, such as liver damage, urinary tract obstruction, congestive heart failure or gastrointestinal bleeding — although an abnormal BUN test result alone doesn't confirm any of these conditions If kidney problems are the main concern, the creatinine levels in your blood will likely also be measured when your blood is tested for urea nitrogen levels. Creatinine is another waste product that healthy kidneys filter out of your body through urine. High levels of creatini...