Diabetic nephropathy

Diagnosis

Mayo Clinic uses several diagnostic tests to identify diabetic nephropathy. These include:

• Blood tests. You will need blood tests to monitor your diabetes and determine how well your kidneys are working.
• Urinalysis. Urine samples provide information about your kidney function and whether there are high levels of red blood cells and protein in your urine.
• Renal imaging. Specialists may use ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine how well blood is circulating within your kidneys. X-rays may be used to detect whether your kidneys have structural abnormalities.
• Renal function testing. Doctors can assess your kidneys' filtering process using renal analysis testing. Mayo Clinic offers exceptionally precise measurement of the glomerular filtration rate — a very accurate measure of overall renal function.
• Kidney biopsy. Doctors may want to examine your kidney tissue. For this procedure, a needle is used to extract small pieces of kidney tissue for examination under a microscope.

Read more about urinalysis, ultrasound, MRI and kidney biopsy.