How is CKD diagnosed? (3 big tests)
How do doctors diagnose CKD? We ask ourselves ..
“Three big questions, and carry out three big tests to answer these questions.”
Three big questions
- What is the current function of the kidneys?
- Are the kidneys leaking extra protein? If they are leaking a lot of protein, the disease may be in the glomeruli
- Do you have 2 kidneys and what do they look like?
Three big tests
To answer these three big questions, people with CKD will need three big tests. They are:
- Creatinine and eGFR – the most important blood test. The lower the creatinine, and higher the GFR, the better
- Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) – the most important urine test. The lower the protein, the better
- Renal (kidney) ultrasound – a sound picture of the kidneys. It should show 2 kidneys that look normal.
Summary
We have described how is CKD diagnosed? (3 big tests). We hope it has been helpful.
Other resource
CKDEx has a longer article on CKD investigations here.
Last Reviewed on 7 May 2024