‘Can kidney damage be detected through a blood test or is imaging necessary?’
Published on: Nov. 18, 2025, 6 a.m. | Source: The Indian Express
Kidney health assessment primarily begins with simple blood and urine tests, which experts confirm are the most important first step, with the serum creatinine test and eGFR indicating filtration performance, and urine tests detecting early signs like protein or blood. However, Dr. Mahesh Prasad and Dr. Nikhil Bhasin clarify that while these tests reveal if kidney function is impaired, they don't necessarily reveal why; therefore, imaging (ultrasound or CT scan) is useful to identify structural causes such as stones, blockages, cysts, or scarring. Dr. Bhasin notes that imaging shows anatomy, not function, and can look normal even if function is reduced, concluding that blood and urine tests are best for screening and early detection, while imaging is reserved for investigating the structural cause once an abnormality is found, especially in high-risk patients.
