Bladder Cancer Diagnosis

If bladder cancer has been diagnosed in your initial tests, more tests will be conducted to find out if cancer cells have spread within the bladder or to other parts of the body.

The process used to find out if cancer has spread within the bladder lining and muscle or to other parts of the body is called staging. It is important to know the stage in order to plan the best treatment. The following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process:

• Physical examination: A check of general signs of health, including looking for anything unusual, such as swollen or tender lymph nodes.
• Cystoscopy: An examination of the bladder and urethra using a cystoscope (a thin, lighted instrument) inserted into the urethra. Tissue samples may be removed and examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells.
• CT scan (or CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. A computer linked to an x-ray machine creates the pictures. This test is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure in which a magnet linked to a computer is used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. This test is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
• Chest x-ray: Brief exposure of the chest to radiation to produce an image of the chest and its internal structures.
• Bone scan: A technique to create images of bones on a computer screen or on film. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into a blood vessel and travels through the bloodstream; it collects in the bones and is detected by a scanner.