How is IgAN diagnosed?
IgAN can be tricky to diagnose as there isn’t a single test that gives a definite result.1 And you might have already been living with it for some time, so it can be a real shock – we know, we’ve been there.
IgAN is often first detected by accident during routine health check-ups and blood tests when doctors look out for high levels of protein or traces of blood in urine.2
Or it could be that doctors notice high levels of creatinine or urea nitrogen in blood tests.2 Creatinine is a waste product made naturally by muscles, and urea nitrogen is a waste product made after the liver breaks down proteins.3 But kidneys that aren’t working well find it hard to remove these waste products – and this means creatinine and/or urea nitrogen levels will go up.3
If your doctor finds any of these in your blood or urine, they may recommend renal imaging next.2 Renal imaging is non-invasive, using ultra-sound and X-rays to look at your kidneys so your doctor can check if they’re a normal shape and size.2
Should your doctors see anything that isn’t right, they’ll carry out a kidney biopsy. This means doctors will use a needle to take small pieces of tissue from your kidney so they can have a closer look at the samples under a microscope.2 It’s only after this that you will be formally diagnosed with IgAN.2
Once you have your diagnosis, only you will know how you feel. You might be very anxious about your future, or you might be relieved that finally you have an answer. One thing is for sure, there’s a lot to come to terms with and understand so you can find out how you can live best with your IgAN.
“For me, diagnosis was a good thing… It’s allowed me to plan things for my future, for my family and for myself should I get to the point where my kidneys are in a place that I need dialysis or a transplant.”
Alister, IgAN Patient, UK
Hear Dr Mercedes Velo talk about why kidney biopsy is important for diagnosis.
Dr Velo is a Nephrologist from Spain, and has been treating people with IgA Nephropathy for more than 30 years.
Dr Mercedes Velo
Spain
For more information about kidney biopsy, you can download this factsheet from ERKNet.
For additional information on diagnosing IgAN, you can visit ERKNet.
