Nephrology

What is Nephrology?

Nephrology is primarily concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases. Nephrology also includes hypertension, electrolyte disturbances and also those people who require renal placement therapy that also includes renal transplant patients. Some of the kidney diseases are systemic disorders that are restricted only to the organ but can also require special treatment. Some of its examples also include acquired conditions like autoimmune diseases, vasculitides and genetic or congenital conditions like polycystic kidney disease.

Renal doctors or nephrologists treat those people who are suffering from kidney conditions and diseases associated with the functions of the kidney. They also care for those people who live on kidney transplant or dialysis. A lot of kidney diseases are treated with the help of medication. Transplant or dialysis is required when the chronic kidney disease has advanced to the fifth stage.

Conditions and Disorders Requiring Nephrologists

Acid or base imbalance and electrolyte disorders

Acute renal failure ( a sudden loss of renal function)

Recurrent or chronic urinary tract infections

Hematuria (blood in the urine)

Hypertension that has not responded to many forms of anti-hypertensive medication or is due to some other cause

Chronic kidney disease that results in declining renal function and is due to an inexorable rise in the creatinine

Proteinuria ( loss of protein especially albumin in the urine)

Diagnosis of Nephrology Diseases and Conditions

The diagnosis include at performing different laboratory tests that aim at electrolytes, urea, urinalysis and creatinine. Many specialized tests can also be performed for discovering some systemic diseases to kidney failure that include lupusserologies, hepatitis b or c and also other systemic diseases that causes kidney failure. A sample of urine is kept for 24 hours that provides information on the amount of protein loss in some forms of kidney disease and on the filtering ability of the kidney. Other tests include :

CT scanning is performed when many lesions are suspected and it also helps in suspecting nephrolithiasis.

Renal biopsy

Scintigraphy is done for accurate measurement of renal function

Ultrasound scanning of the urinary tract

MAG3 scans for diagnosing renal artery disease

Magnetic resonance imaging angiography is performed when the blood vessels are affected