Your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history, what medications you are currently taking, and whether anyone in your family suffers from kidney stones.
Urine Culture
Your doctor make take a sample of your urine and send it to the laboratory to see if there is an infection in your urine.
X-Ray or Sonogram
Your doctor will use one of these procedures to attempt to locate the stone. A sonogram is a diagnostic technique that combines sound waves and computer imaging to view internal organs; this procedure provides a more detailed picture than youd get from a single X-ray.
Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP)
For this test, a dye is injected into a vein. The dye highlights otherwise hard-to-see areas of your urinary tract as it passes out of your system. This makes it easier for your doctor to see the kidney stone on an X-ray.This procedure is less commonly used today with the excellent CT scan results.
Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
This procedure uses X-rays to take highly detailed pictures of your internal organs. A CT scan can spot small kidney stones that regular X-rays might miss.
Blood Test
Helps to identify factorssuch as high levels of calcium, uric acid, or the presence of infectionthat can cause a kidney stone to develop.
24-hour Urine Collection
Urine will be tested for acidity and levels of substances, like calcium, uric acid, citrate, and oxalate, that can form the basis for kidney stones. This test provides a more accurate analysis than your doctor would get from a single urine sample.
Stone Analysis
Once a stone is recovered, it can be analyzed in a laboratory to determine its chemical make-up. This may help your healthcare provider make decisions about how you can prevent further stone formation.
References:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at: http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/ .
National Kidney Foundation website. Available at: http://www.kidney.org/ .
Park S, Pearle MS. Imaging for percutaneous renal access and management of renal calculi. Urol Clin North Am. 2006;33:353-364.
Parmar MS. Kidney stones. Brit Med J. 2004;328:1120-1124.
Last reviewed February 2007 by David Juan, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
