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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffSpecific signs and symptoms may suggest glomerulonephritis, but the condition often comes to light when a routine urinalysis is abnormal. The urinalysis may show:
- Red blood cells and red cell casts, an indicator of possible damage to the glomeruli
- White blood cells, a common indicator of infection or inflammation
- Increased protein, which may indicate nephron damage
Other indicators, such as increased blood levels of creatinine or urea, also are red flags. Or, your hard-to-control high blood pressure may cause your doctor to suspect glomerulonephritis.
If your doctor suspects glomerulonephritis, you may undergo one or more of the following diagnostic procedures, in addition to urine testing:
- Blood tests. These can provide information about kidney damage and impairment of the filtering mechanisms by measuring levels of waste products, such as creatinine and blood urea nitrogen.
- Imaging tests. If your doctor detects evidence of damage, he or she may recommend diagnostic studies that allow visualization of your kidneys, such as a kidney X-ray, an ultrasound examination or a computerized tomography (CT) scan.
- Kidney biopsy. This procedure involves using a special needle to extract small pieces of kidney tissue for microscopic examination to help determine the cause of the inflammation. A kidney biopsy is almost always necessary to confirm a diagnosis of glomerulonephritis.
- Your kidneys and how they work. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/index.htm#rate. Accessed Jan. 29, 2009.
- Glomerulonephritis. National Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozItem.cfm?id=65. Accessed Jan. 29, 2009.
- Glomerular diseases. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/glomerular/. Accessed Jan. 29, 2009.
- Introduction: Glomerular diseases. The Merck Manuals Online Library: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec17/ch235/ch235a.html#S17_CH2. Accessed Feb. 3, 2009.
- Rose BD, et al. Differential diagnosis of glomerular disease. http://www.uptodate.com/online/content/topic.do?topicKey=glom_dis/11. Accessed Feb. 3, 2009.
- Nachman PH, et al. Primary Glomular Disease. In: Brenner BM, et al. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/125541428-3/815444355/1583/33.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3105-5..50032-3--cesec59_1945 Accessed March 12, 2009.
