May 31, 2004
Other
Question from Erial, New Jersey, USA:
My son had an ultrasound to rule out gallstones, due to side pain, that is intermittent. The ultrasound revealed a normal gallbladder and normal liver, but noted that there was increased echogenicity of the right kidney and that renal disease could NOT be ruled out, to seek further correlation. His laboratory work was all normal except his “isolated urine creatinine” It was 502. The endocrine nurse says that he should get a thorough exam, that whatever may be going on is not diabetes related. The pediatrician states that the higher level of creatinine doesn’t mean anything. Do I have a need for concern, with the abnormal ultrasound and this one urine test that is elevated?
Answer:
You should talk to the pediatric endocrinologist or have the nurse consult with the doctor. There are other kidney tests that may be needed to answer what was detected and if there are still questions, a consultation with a pediatric urologist or pediatric nephrologist may be in order. Urine creatinine tests by themselves don’t answer such questions. Creatinine clearance might be better as would urine protein or microalbumin testing, blood pressure testing, etc.
SB
