Understanding the Role of Renal Ultrasound in Nephrology: Applications and Benefits
When it comes to kidney or bladder problems, doctors always recommend kidney ultrasounds. Why? Is this the best imaging test to diagnose kidney or bladder problems? Read this article to understand the role of renal ultrasound in nephrology. If you want to know more about lupus nephritis’ symptoms and treatment, visit us at Doral Health and Wellness Urology Center and consult with the best nephrologists and urologists in East New York.
What is renal ultrasound and when do you need one?
A kidney ultrasound is an imaging exam that allows your doctor to examine your kidneys and bladder by using sound waves to produce images on the computer. It is also known as renal ultrasound. An ultrasound is a noninvasive exam that uses high-frequency sound waves sent out by a transducer by pressing it against your skin. When the sound waves pass through the body, bouncing off organs back to the transducer, it gets recorded on the machine which turns those echoes into digital video or images of tissues and organs to examine.
Doctors use this imaging test to check the health of your kidneys and rule out certain diseases and conditions that may affect your kidneys or bladder:
- Kidney stones
- Kidney infection
- Any irregularities in the location, size, shape, or blood flow of the kidneys
- A blockage or obstruction
- Kidney tumor
- Kidney cysts
- Abscesses
- Hydronephrosis (a condition where urine builds up in your kidney)
- Injury or trauma
- Kidney disease
Besides that, your doctor may use a kidney ultrasound to:
- Guide needles during a kidney biopsy (a procedure where your doctor takes a sample of your kidneys to examine under a microscope).
- Check on your transplanted kidney.
How does it work?
A kidney ultrasound is a safe noninvasive procedure where your doctor uses a device called a transducer over the top of your skin. This device produces sound waves that can pass your skin and bounce off your internal organs and tissues. The echoes created by these sound waves can transform into images or videos of your healthcare provider on a screen. Your doctor goes through those images and analyzes them to find any potential problems.
Procedure
Before the procedure, your doctor will give you instructions about how to prepare for the exam and what to expect. You should ask questions to clear your doubts and concerns to ensure that all information is cleared.
Your doctor may ask you to drink several glasses of water some hours before the exam because it allows you to get good-quality images during the ultrasound. Typically, you don’t need to fast before a kidney ultrasound, however, if you have the ultrasound to check your kidney arteries, then you must fast beforehand. You don’t need to skip a medication you take generally unless it’s instructed not to.
During the procedure, you can expect these steps to be followed, including:
- At the time of the ultrasound, you are asked to change your clothes into a hospital gown and remove any jewelry you wear.
- You will be taken to the ultrasound room, usually kept dark.
- You need to lie down on the exam table next to the ultrasound equipment.
- The technician will apply a gel onto your skin where the kidneys are located. This gel allows the sound waves to pass easily through the skin.
- The technician will rub the transducer onto your abdomen. At some points, they may ask you to hold your breath or roll onto your side.
- The sound waves that are produced by the transducer will bounce back from your organs and the computer will capture these echoes and create images of your kidneys and bladder.
The whole procedure may take 20 to 30 minutes to complete, and you can go back to your normal activities immediately after the procedure. After the procedure, the technician will send your results to a radiologist to examine and send your reports to the doctor in a day or 2. Your doctor then contacts you to tell you the results of your ultrasound.
Benefits and risks
There are many benefits you can get with ultrasound tests, including:
- Most ultrasound imaging tests are noninvasive, which means no use of needles or injections.
- It is widely available in hospitals or labs, easy to use, and less expensive compared to other imaging methods.
- It’s extremely safe and doesn’t use radiation.
- It produces a clear picture of soft tissues that don’t show up well on X-ray images.
- It produces real-time imaging, which makes it useful for guiding minimally invasive procedures such as needle biopsies and fluid aspiration.
- Renal ultrasound can identify and evaluate a variety of kidney disorders without x-ray exposure.
- An ultrasound exam may make you uncomfortable but not cause any pain.
There are no major risks involved with ultrasound tests. You may feel uncomfortable while lying on the table, or gel or transducer may make you feel cold. Additionally, as you need to drink water before your ultrasound, it may make discomfort from having a full bladder.
It’s also possible that waiting for your results may cause anxiety but you can lower it by asking your doctor how long it will take to receive your results. So, don’t hesitate to ask them if the window time has passed and you haven’t heard anything.
What do your results mean?
Your doctor will contact you when radiologists send the report of your exam. The results can be unique depending on your situation and why you take it in the first place. If something abnormal is detected, your doctor will ask you to take additional imaging tests, kidney function tests, or a kidney biopsy.
That’s why when you get your test results, make sure you talk with your doctor to discuss concerns about your results and what they mean. Typically, your doctor will discuss the results with you and tell you whether you need a diagnosis or create a treatment plan to help you.
Renal ultrasound in nephrology is particularly important because it allows the doctor to examine your kidneys without using any invasive procedure. It’s less expensive, easy to use, produces high-quality images, available easily, and doesn’t require the use of radiation to produce images, making it the best imaging test to diagnose kidney and bladder problems.
If you need help with your kidney problems, visit our urology clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical diagnosis and treatment. Call us to book your appointment now! At Doral Health and Wellness Urology Center, our team of urologists will work with you in managing your disease and your quality of life. We also offer services, such as renal and bladder ultrasound. To schedule an appointment, please visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212 or call 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://www.urologistbrooklyn.com/.