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Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Blood tests

Screening blood tests may be done as part of the general evaluation of high blood pressure and may include a complete blood count, electrolytes, kidney function tests, and a urinalysis.

Imaging

Renal artery narrowing can be detected with ultrasound or computerized tomography angiography or arteriography.

Ultrasound uses sound waves to visualize anatomic structures, and with special techniques, can approximate the amount of blood flowing through the renal artery to the kidney.

Computerized tomography (CT) will show all the blood vessels in the abdomen as well as the other organs. The intravenous dye used may have the potential to cause some kidney damage.

Arteriography is the most invasive, since a catheter or small tube needs to be threaded through the arteries in the groin into the renal arteries and dye injected. This test will give the best opportunity to decide how much narrowing there is and if it is found, angioplasty and stenting may be done as part of the treatment. (see Treatment, below)

The benefit and risk of each procedure needs to be assessed for each patient to decide what would be most appropriate in a given situation.

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