Diagnosis of a renal infarction
The suspicion of a renal infarction is based on the symptoms. An admission to the clinic must be made in the shortest possible time to prevent consequences such as kidney failure. To make a diagnosis, a consultation is held followed by a physical examination.
Tapping the kidneys as part of the physical examination is usually perceived as painful by those affected. In addition, blood is drawn to check the kidney function by laboratory parameters and to detect kidney damage. An ultrasound examination quickly provides a good view of the renal vessels and allows up to 97% of renal artery pathologies to be identified.
To confirm the diagnosis, an angiography can be performed, which uses a contrast medium to show the blood flow in the kidney. If necessary, further imaging measures may be necessary to establish the diagnosis of “renal infarction”, such as an MRI of the kidney or a renal scintigraphy. The ultrasound examination is a fast, gentle method of obtaining an overview of the blood circulation in the kidneys.In most cases, the arteries can be visualized well and severe changes in the renal arteries are detected with the ultrasound device in up to 97% of cases.
Modern ultrasound devices have the possibility to check with a Doppler signal how well the displayed vessels are supplied with blood. This might be of interest to you: Ultrasound – Advantages and RisksAn angiography is an X-ray examination of blood vessels in which a catheter is used to inject contrast medium into the vessels to be examined. This allows the arteries to be depicted very well.
A renal artery angiography can be used to confirm the diagnosis “renal infarction”. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an examination that can be used to visualize the kidneys. This examination can be performed with a contrast medium and is particularly suitable for clarifying unclear space requirements. In practice, an MRI can be used to clarify a narrowing of the renal arteries. In most cases, however, a simple ultrasound examination is sufficient to make the diagnosis “renal infarction”.
