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Cytology Procedure for Bladder Stones

The word "cytology" refers to the inspection of individual cells for disease. Cytology is used to detect many maladies, including cancer in the female reproductive tract and diseases in the lymph nodes. Bladder cytology is commonly used to determine whether the bladder is infected with disease. Although cytology is most commonly used to look for cancer cells in bladders, it may also be used to detect the presence of kidney stones.

  1. Collecting Urine

    • If you are suspected of having bladder stones, you will have to go to a doctor's office or a hospital to be tested. The doctor will collect a specimen of your urine to examine under a microscope in the search for abnormal cells that may indicate the presence of bladder stones. A regularly voided urine specimen can be collected into a tray by the individual. However, certain conditions might necessitate the collection of catheterized urine, which is collected by inserting a tube into the urethra. As soon as the urine leaves the bladder, it is collected into a receptacle. Unfortunately, the latter process may be rather painful, but it is not required in all instances.

    Other Tests

    • Searching for bladder stones often requires an intravenous pyelogram (IVP), wherein a radioactive dye is injected into the blood to help view the bladder on a series of X-rays. Your urologist may choose to perform a procedure called a cytoscopy, wherein he will look directly into the bladder for any abnormalities. Biopsies are often taken of tissue in the bladder. During this procedure, he might perform what is commonly known as the "bladder bath," the collection of fluid from the bladder using a sterile saline solution. The urine, bladder wash, and any other information that may have been collected during the procedure are then sent to a special laboratory for cytologic testing.

    Finding Bladder Stones

    • The doctor who took the test will take your urine or bladder wash and place them into a special chemical. Next, the cytologist in the lab takes the specimens and examines them for abnormalities. She will be able to determine by close examination whether you have bladder stones. Pathologists may look for the presence of diseases other than bladder stones to ensure that you are free of bladder cancer. Sometimes, the results are unclear, and that may result in the need for additional testing.

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