Diagnostic Tests for Hematuria
Tests and diagnosis discussion for Hematuria: In order to find the cause of hematuria, or to rule out certain causes, the doctor may order a series of tests, including urinalysis, blood tests, intravenous pyelogram, and cystoscopic examination.
Urinalysis is the examination of urine for various cells and chemicals. In addition to finding RBCs, the doctor may find white blood cells that signal a urinary tract infection or casts (groups of cells molded together in the shape of the kidneys' tiny filtering tubes) that signal kidney disease. Excessive protein in the urine also signals poor kidney function.
Blood tests may reveal kidney disease if the blood contains high levels of wastes that the kidneys are supposed to remove.
An intravenous pyelogram (IVP) is an x-ray of the urinary tract. An IVP may reveal a tumor, a kidney or bladder stone, an enlarged prostate, or other blockage to the normal flow of urine.
A cystoscope can be used to take pictures of the inside of the bladder. It has a tiny camera at the end of a thin tube, which is inserted through the urethra. A cystoscope may provide a better view of a tumor or bladder stone than can be seen with an IVP. 1
When you have a urinary problem, your doctor may use a cystoscope to see the inside of your bladder and urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. The cystoscope has lenses like a telescope or microscope. These lenses let the doctor focus on the inner surfaces of the urinary tract. Some cystoscopes use optical fibers (flexible glass fibers) that carry an image from the tip of the instrument to a viewing piece at the other end. The cystoscope is as thin as a pencil and has a light at the tip. Many cystoscopes have extra tubes to guide other instruments for procedures to treat urinary problems2
A biopsy is a diagnostic test that involves collecting small pieces of
tissue, usually through a needle, for examination under a microscope. A
kidney biopsy can help find a diagnosis and determine the best course of
treatment.3
Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Hematuria (Blood in the Urine): NIDDK
2. excerpt from Cystoscopy and Ureteroscopy: NIDDK
3. excerpt from Kidney Biopsy: NIDDK
Last revision:
May 10, 2004
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