All kidney recipients and living donors should expect to have the following testing done during their initial evaluation.
Diagnostic Tests
Blood Tests
A common tool for disease screening, blood tests provide information about many substances in the body, such as blood cells, hormones, minerals, and proteins.
Chest x-rays provide an image of the heart, lungs, airways, blood vessels and bones in the spine and chest area. They can be used to look for broken bones, diseases like pneumonia, abnormalities, or cancer.
CT scans use X-ray equipment and computer processing to produce 2-dimensional images of the body. The patient lies on a table and passes through a machine that looks like a large, squared-off donut.
An EKG is a simple, painless test that checks for problems with the electrical activity of the heart. It shows how fast the heart is beating and the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through parts of the heart.
Some procedures may require a nutrition evaluation before your doctor will sign off on the procedure. In these cases, a dietitian will perform a nutritional assessment and provide education.
A psychosocial evaluation looks at your mental health, social wellbeing, and more. It may be used to determine if you're eligible for certain surgeries or services or to determine if a treatment is right for you..
