Tests and diagnosis

Find out more detail about some of the tests used to diagnose or investigate kidney conditions.

Your child may need some tests at the clinic or hospital. These tests help find out whether your child has a health condition, and the best treatment.

For children with a kidney condition, the tests can find out how well a treatment is working. They can also see whether there is damage to their kidneys or other parts of their body.

  • Tests and diagnosis

    Blood pressure

    Blood pressure (BP) is the force, or pressure, that makes the blood flow round the body. It is very important that your child’s blood pressure is in a healthy range. If it is too high or too low, your doctor will try to find out what is causing this.

  • Tests and diagnosis

    Blood tests

    In a blood test, a small sample of your child’s blood will be taken from the body, using a needle. This sample will be looked at by specialists in a laboratory.

  • Tests and diagnosis

    Computerised tomography (CT) scan

    A special kind of X-ray test to build up a detailed picture of the inside of the body.

  • Tests and diagnosis

    DMSA scan

    Looks at the the kidneys to check whether there is any damage – a chemical is injected into the body and a special camera takes images.