Lab Tests for Bladder Conditions
Your doctor may also refer you for blood and urine tests such as:
- Complete blood count (CBC), which measures the number of red, white, and other blood cells to ensure proper bone marrow function. It also gauges whether treatment is affecting blood cell counts.
- Serum chemistry test, which evaluates levels of electrolytes, such as calcium and potassium, certain enzymes (proteins), and waste products like creatinine. When kidneys are damaged, they have trouble removing creatinine from your blood. Your doctor will calculate the creatinine level with your age, race, and gender to estimate your Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR). This calculation tells your doctor how well your kidneys are working.
- Urine culture, which looks for signs of infection in the urine.
- Urine cytology, which looks for cancer cells in the urine. This test is analyzed by the pathologist and may take a few days for results to come back.
Stanford Health Library
For confidential help with your health care questions, contact the Stanford Health Library. Professional medical librarians and trained volunteers can help you access journals, books, e-books, databases, and videos to learn more about medical conditions, treatment options, and related issues.
- 875 Blake Wilbur Drive, Palo Alto: First floor near the cafe, 650-736-1960
- South Bay Cancer Center: 2589 Samaritan Drive, third floor lobby, 408-353-0197
Email us your questions: healthlibrary@stanfordhealthcare.org
Current as of: 9/2019
Stanford Health Education, 2020