Kidney examination – preventive kidney check-up
Kidney diseases do not always cause symptoms. However, if they are detected early during a kidney examination, there are good chances of a cure.
In principle, there are two medical specialties that deal with kidney diseases. These are nephrology and urology. The two specialties overlap and therefore also work together across disciplines. Nephrology belongs to internal medicine and treats disorders of kidney function and their effects on the body.
The following kidney diseases are therefore mainly treated by a nephrologist:
- Renal insufficiency
- Kidney involvement in diabetes mellitus
- Kidney involvement in high blood pressure
- Kidney involvement in vascular inflammation
Due to their surgical orientation, doctors working in the field of urology mainly treat the following kidney conditions:
- Kidney stones
- Kidney tumours (kidney cancer)
- Kidney cysts
- Hydronephrosis (urinary retention in the kidney)
How is kidney disease detected?
Various diagnostic measures are used in a kidney examination. When examining kidney function, the medical history is first taken in conjunction with personal risk factors.
The diagnostics include, among other things:
- a clinical examination
- an ultrasound examination
- a blood test
- a urine test
This gives the treating urologist indications of various kidney diseases such as kidney cancer, renal insufficiency, urinary retention, kidney stones, kidney cysts or pyelonephritis. Depending on the findings, further diagnostic measures follow. The urine is examined for the following parameters:
- Bladder tumour markers for early cancer detection
- Germs
- Protein
- Glucose
- Nitrite
- Erythrocytes (red blood cells) and haemoglobin
- Leukocytes (white blood cells)
- Physical and chemical properties of the urine
Kidney tumours can be readily detected by an ultrasound examination. These are then usually tumours that can be removed in an organ-sparing manner by robot-assisted da Vinci kidney tumour removal. If a kidney tumour is discovered in good time, removal of the kidney can be avoided in most cases today. The neighbouring organ systems, such as the urinary tract, the bladder and, in men, the prostate, are usually also examined closely during a kidney examination.
Info
The urological preventive check-up is billed as a self-pay service according to the official German scale of medical fees (GOÄ) and is reimbursed by private health insurance companies. The examination is always carried out by one of the urology specialists.
To make an appointment for a check-up, please call 0 72 31 / 41 99 20
About this page:
Author
Medical director of the Goldstadt-Privatklinik.
Specialist for Urology, Mini-PCNL and robot-assisted da Vinci procedures.
Member in Scientific Societies and Reviewer of scientific journals.
