This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Renal ultrasound

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Ultrasound is a valuable tool in renal medicine.

Renal ultrasound may be used to measure:

  • kidney size
  • dilatation of the renal pelvis or ureters
  • residual volumes of urine the post micturition bladder
  • renal calculi in the renal pelvis or bladder
  • cysts or masses in the renal parenchyma
  • the prostate - using a rectal probe

The limitations of ultrasound in renal medicine must be remembered:

  • it is operator dependant
  • it cannot visualise the full length of the ureter
  • the resolution is not sufficient to demonstrate pelvicalyceal abnormalities such as papillary necrosis

Indications for renal ultrasound in CKD (1)

Offer a renal ultrasound scan to all people with CKD who:

  • have accelerated progression of CKD
  • have visible or persistent invisible haematuria
  • have symptoms of urinary tract obstruction
  • have a family history of polycystic kidney disease and are aged over 20 years
  • have a GFR of less than 30 ml/min/1.73 m2 (GFR category G4 or G5)
  • are considered by a nephrologist to require a renal biopsy

Advise people with a family history of inherited kidney disease about the implications of an abnormal result before a renal ultrasound scan is arranged for them

Reference:


Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.