Kidney transplant tests

You'll need lots of tests to see if you’re able to have a kidney transplant

Key points

The tests determine whether you are well enough to cope with major surgery
Blood tests will check your blood group and tissue type so you can be matched with a donor
High levels of antibodies in your blood can make it harder to find a suitable kidney donor
Heart, lung and other specialist tests are also needed to check your fitness for major surgery

Tests to see if you are suitable for a kidney transplant

If your kidney doctor thinks that a kidney transplant is a possible treatment option, you will have tests done. A lot of tests are needed and each transplant centre has their own set of requirements.

The team looking after you will provide details of the exact tests that you need.

The information below gives details of some of the tests you are likely to have.

Blood tests

You will need lots of blood tests to check your general health, blood group and tissue type.

Blood group

Tissue type

Your tissue type is needed so the transplant team can check how well matched you are with a donated kidney. Finding out your tissue type is done through a simple blood test.

Your transplant team will look at your tissue type and compare it with possible donors to see if the donor’s kidney is safe to transplant.

This type of testing is also known as HLA (human leukocyte antigen) typing.

Infections and general health

Antibody tests

Your doctor will need to check if you have any antibodies in your blood that might make it harder for you to receive a transplant.

Antibodies to tissues that are not your own can be formed if you’ve previously had a blood transfusion, pregnancy or transplant. Once these antibodies form, it is very difficult to remove them.

These antibodies increase the risk of some kidney transplants being rejected. The team looking after you will let you know if you have these antibodies in your blood, and how they might affect a kidney transplant.

How do high levels of antibodies affect kidney transplants?

High levels of antibodies in your blood make it harder to find a suitable kidney donor. For patients waiting for a kidney from a deceased donor, this is likely to mean a longer wait for a transplant. The National Kidney Offering Scheme prioritises patients with very high levels of antibodies in their blood in order to reduce this wait as much as possible.

For patients with a living kidney donor, your kidney transplant team will tell you whether you have antibodies against your potential donor’s tissue type. This will determine whether or not it is possible for you to receive a kidney from this person.

There are still living donor options for patients with high levels of antibodies, such as the National Living Donor Kidney Sharing Scheme and antibody-incompatible kidney transplantation (PDF, 1MB). Your kidney care team will discuss these with you.

Heart, lung, blood vessel and specialist tests

Your doctor will need to know how healthy your heart and lungs are, and whether you have any cancers or serious infections.

Heart tests

Lung tests

Ultrasound scans

Specialist tests

You may need additional specialist tests or to be seen by other doctors. Sometimes these tests find major medical issues that mean a kidney transplant is not possible.

Some patients need to see a psychologist or psychiatrist. This is especially important if you’ve had problems remembering to take tablets before or forgetting to come for your dialysis sessions. The team looking after you need to make sure you’ll be able to take your post-transplant medications.

National criteria for selecting patient suitable for a kidney transplant

All transplant teams in the UK must follow the national criteria for selecting patients suitable for a kidney.

View the national criteria for selecting kidney transplant patients (POL184)

Sometimes, patients with other serious illnesses might need a combined type of transplant. For instance, some patients with diabetes and kidney failure might be suitable for a kidney and pancreas transplant.

View the national criteria for combined kidney and pancreas transplant (POL 185)