Diagnosis
If a patient has symptoms that suggest kidney cancer, the doctor may perform one or more of the following procedures:
- Physical exam: The doctor checks general signs of health and tests for fever and high blood pressure. The doctor also feels the abdomen and side for tumors.
- Urine tests: Urine is checked for blood and other signs of disease.
- Blood tests: The lab checks the blood to see
how well the kidneys are working. The lab may check
the level of several substances, such as
creatinine.
A high level of creatinine may mean the kidneys are not doing their job.
-
Intravenous pyelogram (IVP):
The doctor injects dye into a vein in the arm.
The dye travels through the body and collects
in the kidneys. The dye makes them show up on
x-rays.
A series of x-rays then tracks the dye as it moves through the kidneys to the ureters and bladder. The
x-rays can show a kidney tumor or other problems.
-
CT scan
(CAT scan): An x-ray machine linked to a computer takes a series of detailed pictures of the kidneys. The patient may receive an injection of dye so the kidneys show up clearly in the pictures. A CT scan can show a kidney tumor.
-
Ultrasound test: The ultrasound device uses sound waves that people cannot hear. The waves bounce off the kidneys, and a computer uses the echoes to create a picture called a
sonogram.
A solid tumor or cyst shows up on a sonogram.
-
Biopsy:
In some cases, the doctor may do a biopsy.
A biopsy is the removal of tissue to look for cancer cells. The doctor inserts a thin needle through the skin into the kidney to remove a small amount of tissue. The doctor may use ultrasound or x-rays to guide the needle.
A
pathologist
uses a microscope to look for cancer cells in the tissue.
- Surgery: In most cases, based on the results of the CT scan, ultrasound, and x-rays,
the doctor has enough information to recommend surgery to remove part or all of the kidney. A pathologist makes the final diagnosis by examining the tissue under a microscope.
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