The General Nephrology Clinic can be accessed directly by your GP or from a consultant at CUH or another hospital.
At your first visit appointment with us you will meet a Consultant Kidney Specialist who will review your case and may order a series of initial tests and investigations to help us to diagnose the condition and if appropriate, develop a suitable treatment plan for you.
Please bring a list of your medicines with you. A detailed letter will be sent to your GP following your visit.
The tests and investigations may include:
Urine tests
You will be asked to give a sample of your urine to test for the presence of protein, blood, glucose, and acidity or alkaline levels. Often patients with kidney disease may have blood in the urine that is not visible to the naked eye – also known as microscopic haematuria. It is important to monitor all of these elements because they are indicators of kidney problems.
Blood tests
You will undergo a series of blood tests that are essential in diagnosing kidney problems. Your blood will be sent to our laboratory to measure your percentage kidney function and to look for clues pointing toward any condition that may have damaged your kidney
Kidney biopsy
A kidney biopsy is an important test to diagnose kidney disease. It is not necessary in all cases. However, it is sometimes the only way to make an exact diagnosis of your kidney condition. A kidney biopsy is usually done on a overnight basis (meaning you stay overnight in hospital).
A kidney biopsy involves taking a very small sample from the kidney using a very fine needle under a local anaesthetic. The sample is then examined in minute detail to support the doctor’s diagnosis. For more details about having a kidney biopsy, please click here.
Kidney ultrasound scan
The initial scan we do is an ultrasound of the kidneys. This involves an ultrasound technician moving a hand-held probe across your skin around the area of your kidneys.
This estimates the size of both kidneys, which may help us to evaluate whether the kidney disease is of recent onset or has been present for many years. It also helps to either diagnose or exclude obstruction in the drainage from the kidney into the bladder.