Injury - Kidney and Ureter

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Kidney and Ureter Injury: Diagnosis & Tests

A history of physical injury, exposure to potentially toxic substances, or recent infections or illness may indicate the source of injury to the kidney. If there is loss of blood, examination by touch (palpation) may reveal extreme tenderness over the kidney.

There may be signs of hemorrhage and shock, including rapid heart rate and falling blood pressure. Toxic injury or injury from inflammation may cause acute or chronic renal failure.

• A urinalysis may show blood. It may show sediment or crystals that indicate inflammation or toxic accumulations of uric acid or other substances. Part of the urinalysis is an RBC urine test. This may indicate increased red blood cells due to renal tumors, trauma, stones, or necrosis.
• A CBC may indicate bleeding, infection, or inflammation. Other blood tests may reveal toxic levels of suspected substances.
• Electrolyte analysis of the blood may demonstrate increased potassium, urea, or creatinine.
• Kidney X-ray, abdominal CT scan, or abdominal MRI scan may show damage to the kidney.
• A renal scan may indicate problems with kidney blood flow.
• An angiography of the artery or vein may show occlusion of blood flow to or from the kidney.
• An IVP (intravenous pyelogram) may reveal functioning of the kidney. The IVP may be repeated after treatment of kidney injury to assess functioning of the traumatically injured kidney.