Urinary Tract Examinations

Tests that may be done to help diagnose your specific condition include the following:

• Lab Tests, such as urinalysis and urine culture, to test for infection.
  
  
• Cytology (examination of urine under a microscope) to rule out cancer.
  
  
• Urodynamic studies to test the workings of the bladder, such as how the bladder fills and empties.
  Learn more about Urodynamic Studies here.
  
  
• Cystoscopy, visual examination of the bladder, to look for problems. The doctor looks at the bladder through a cystoscope, a tubelike instrument containing special lenses and a light. Cystoscopy is usually done in the hospital with general anesthesia so you are asleep. Your bladder is then filled with liquid to stretch the walls, a process called hydrodistention. A sample (biopsy) of bladder tissue may also be taken for examination.
  Learn more about Cystoscopy here.