Hydronephrosis - Diagnosis 

Diagnosing hydronephrosis 

Ultrasound scan

An ultrasound scan is the usual method of diagnosing hydronephrosis. This type of scan uses sound waves to create a picture of the inside of your kidneys. If your kidneys are swollen, this should show up clearly on your ultrasound scan.

Further tests

It is not usually possible to determine the cause of hydronephrosis from an ultrasound scan. Therefore, it may be recommended that you have a number of additional tests to help determine the cause. These may include:

  • blood tests – which can be used to check for infection
  • urine tests – which can be used to check for infection as well as traces of blood (if blood is found it could be caused by a kidney stone)
  • intravenous urography – this is an X-ray of your kidneys that is taken after a special dye has been injected into your bloodstream; the dye highlights the flow of urine through your urinary tract, which can be useful for identifying any blockages
  • computerised tomography (CT) scan – this is similar to an X-ray but it uses multiple images and a computer to build up a three-dimensional picture of the inside of your body
  • show glossary terms
Intravenous
Intravenous (IV) means the injection of blood, drugs or fluids into the bloodstream through a vein.
Kidney
Kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located at the back of the abdomen, which remove waste and extra fluid from the blood and pass them out of the body as urine.
MRI
MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. It is the use of magnets and radiowaves to take detailed pictures of inside the body.
Swelling
Inflammation is the body's response to infection, irritation or injury, which causes redness, swelling, pain and sometimes a feeling of heat in the affected area.
Ultrasound scan
Ultrasound scans are a way of producing pictures of inside the body using soundwaves.
Urethra
The urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.
Urine test
Urinalysis/UA is when a urine sample is tested, commonly to check for any signs of infection, or protein or sugar levels.

Last reviewed: 07/04/2011

Next review due: 07/04/2013

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Antenatal hydronephrosis

Hydronephrosis may be diagnosed in your baby during pregnancy, during a routine ultrasound scan.

Your baby will be monitored with ultrasound scans to check it is growing normally and the kidneys are not getting too large.

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