Diagnosing Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) - Kidney Specialist Singapore

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Chronic kidney disease diagnosis

People who are at greater risk of getting chronic kidney disease or kidney failure are those with:

Diabetes
Strokes
High blood pressure
Family history of kidney disease
Congestive or coronary heart disease
Prolonged use of non-prescription drugs

If you have these risk factors that puts you at higher risk of chronic kidney disease, be sure to have regular checkups and report any unusual symptoms to your doctor.

Preliminary physical examination

Kidney failure may be causing fluids to fill up in your heart or/and lungs. Your doctor will usually examine these major organs by listening to them with a stethoscope to check your condition.

Blood & urine tests

If your kidney specialist suspects that you might have chronic kidney disease, the next step is usually going for urine and blood tests before diagnostic or therapeutic decisions are made.

Urine tests are carried out to check for abnormalities in the protein level in your urine (a symptom that usually emerges before other symptoms of chronic kidney disease). Usually, protein is only present in trace amounts in your urine. Your urine sediment and cells will be examined in a laboratory. Having an elevated protein level in your urine may indicate kidney problems.

Blood tests for kidney function measure the levels of electrolytes and waste (such as blood urea and creatinine which are excreted when our kidneys are working optimally) in our blood.

Kidney imaging tests

Your nephrologist will usually also order for imaging tests such as a CT scan, MRI scan or ultrasound to check the structural details of your kidneys.

Kidney biopsy

In the case where your renal specialist still needs confirmation on the cause of the symptoms you’re facing, you may need to go through a kidney biopsy (either open biopsy or needle biopsy).

For open biopsy, your renal specialist will perform an incision (surgical cut) with general anaesthesia to collect a sample of your kidney tissue.

Whereas for the less invasive needle biopsy, your kidney doctor will only need to insert a special needle into your kidney to collect your kidney tissue.

Your kidney tissue will then be sent to a lab for microscopic examination.

But it is important to note that kidney biopsy is not suitable for certain people, such as those who are taking blood thinners like aspirin, and when the kidneys are too small.

What happens if my test results show I may have chronic kidney disease?

The results of your blood and urine tests, imaging tests, and kidney biopsy will help your doctor make a diagnosis and determine the real cause of your kidney failure.

If you have chronic kidney disease, on top of regular blood tests and kidney function tests (to check urea and creatinine levels), you need to adopt a healthier lifestyle and a holistic renal diet.

Get Personalised Advice & Holistic Renal Treatment on Chronic Kidney Disease in Singapore

Battling the chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be a daunting and exhausting journey. And the treatments for CKD varies for everyone based on their medical history, current medical conditions, lifestyle and diet. That is why a personalised approach is crucial. If you need any advice on chronic kidney disease (CKD) from a kidney specialist in Singapore, feel free to reach out to Dr Francisco here.