The reliability of pre-transplant donor renal biopsies (PTDB) in predicting the kidney state. A comparative single-centre study on 154 untransplanted kidneys

Abstract

PTDB supplies reliable data on the actual kidney state, with better results for needle biopsy. Although the biopsy size plays a role, samples with over 10 glomeruli suffice for clinical purposes. Vascular damage is the most faithful single parameter, whereas global glomerulosclerosis estimation requires some caution.