Kidney<unk>  is performed on selected patients with kidney disease. It is most commonly used when less invasive tests are insufficient. The decision on whether or not to proceed to a kidney<unk>  is usually made by a nephrologist. The following are examples of the most common reasons for native kidney<unk> : * Haematuria (or blood in the urine) can occur with a number of conditions that affect the kidneys and urinary tract. While<unk>  is not indicated in all cases of haematuria, it may be performed in those with glomerular haematuria (blood that is thought to come from damage to the glomerulus) or when combined with features of progressive<unk>  disease (e.g. increasing proteinuria, elevated blood pressure and kidney failure). One example is the nephritic syndrome. * Proteinuria (or protein in the urine) occurs in many<unk>  conditions.<unk>  is usually reserved for patients with high or increasing levels of proteinuria, or for patients who have proteinuria along with other signs of<unk>  dysfunction. One example is the nephrotic syndrome. * Kidney failure (or impaired kidney function due to kidney injury) can occur abruptly (acute kidney failure) or progress over a period of time (chronic kidney disease). The cause of acute kidney failure can usually be determined without kidney<unk> .<unk>  is performed in those instances where the cause is uncertain. * Targeted kidney<unk>  can be used to obtain tissue from a tumour arising from or adjacent the kidney. Transplant kidney<unk>  is performed in the following circumstances: * For surveillance of hidden disease involving the transplant kidney, so-called protocol<unk>  undertaken at fixed intervals post-transplantation. * When the transplant kidney is not working as well as expected, or when there is a deterioration in function. In these instances,<unk>  is performed to exclude rejection, BK nephropathy, drug-toxicity or recurrence of the disease that caused kidney failure in the first place.
Renal biopsy
Renal ultrasonography
Radioisotope renography
Ureteroscopy
Urine protein/creatinine ratio
Urine cytology
BUN-to-creatinine ratio
Microalbuminuria