Question

A patient complains of pedal edema. The laboratory reports show 0.4 mL/kg/hr of urine output for the past 12 hours. The patient has a history of acute glomerulonephritis. Which method is the best to confirm acute glomerulonephritis as a cause of acute kidney injury in this patient?

A. Kidney biopsy
B. Kidney ultrasound
C. Computed tomographic scan
D. Magnetic resonance imaging

Answer 1

A kidney biopsy is the best method to confirm acute glomerulonephritis as the cause of acute kidney injury in a patient with relevant symptoms and history.

Step-by-step explanation:

To confirm acute glomerulonephritis as a cause of acute kidney injury in a patient with a history of acute glomerulonephritis and symptoms of pedal edema and a low urine output of 0.4 mL/kg/hr for the past 12 hours, the best diagnostic method is A. Kidney biopsy. While other methods such as kidney ultrasound, computed tomographic scan, and magnetic resonance imaging can provide useful information on the structure of the kidneys and the urinary tract, a kidney biopsy provides a definitive diagnosis of glomerulonephritis. The biopsy can reveal the extent of inflammation and damage to the glomeruli and offer prognostic information unless the cause is already clear and the appropriate screening tests are reassuringly negative.