Kidney stones can be painful. When you start experiencing the symptoms of kidney stones, like dull abdominal pain or pain on any side of your lower back, it’s time to see a doctor. Doctors, after careful examination, will suggest certain tests to determine with certainty if you have kidney stones or not. That’s the entire process of kidney stone diagnosis, but there is more detail to the process. So, let’s dive in and learn about the various kidney stone diagnosis methods. But first, let’s get to know the doctors that can help you in case you exhibit symptoms of kidney stones.
 

Which Doctor Should You Visit When Having Symptoms Of Kidney Stones?

• General Physician
  
  General physicians are well-versed with the functioning of your entire body. If something isn’t right, they should be the first doctors you visit. However, if you have a lot of pain or if you also have symptoms like blood in your urine and vomiting from nausea, you should visit a specialist right away. Unless it is very serious general physicians can diagnose your problems and suggest kidney stone medication to help treat your case.
   
• Urologist
  
  For any problems with your kidney, urologists are the specialists you should visit. They can help diagnose your problems and treat your case. Urologists are well experienced with even complex kidney stone cases like cystine stones. They will perform various tests for kidney stone diagnosis and then suggest the best course of treatment to help treat your case.
   

How Are Kidney Stones Diagnosed?

Three types of diagnostic tests are used to diagnose kidney stones: blood tests, urine tests, and imaging tests.

Blood Tests

Blood tests are performed to check the levels of various minerals in your blood. If you have abnormal levels of certain minerals in your blood, it can lead to kidney stones. Abnormal levels of minerals like calcium can lead to two types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate. Blood tests are used to detect kidney stones during regular doctor visits or when you have very mild symptoms.

Urine Test

Urine tests, commonly known as urinalysis, are the most common process to diagnose kidney stones. The aim of this test is to take urine samples and study the amounts of various minerals in your urine. Urinalysis can detect the type of kidney stone just by studying the makeup of your urine. 

A high concentration of calcium in your urine can lead to calcium stones. If you have traces of blood in your urine, it can be a symptom that you have kidney stones. And lastly, the presence of white blood cells and bacteria in your urine can be a sign of urinary tract infections, which can lead to struvite kidney stones.

Imaging Tests

Imaging tests are the best way to diagnose kidney stones because you can clearly see whether there are stone formations inside your kidney. These tests are quick, safe, and painless, making them popular among patients and doctors alike. Two types of imaging tests are used to diagnose kidney stones: abdominal X-rays and CT scans. Let’s review how each of them works.

Abdominal X-Rays

Abdominal x-rays can determine if you have kidney stones and also the cause of why the stones could have formed. Technicians place the x-ray machine over your abdomen while you are in a lying or standing position. They will ask you to hold your breath momentarily while they take the picture to ensure the reports are not blurry. This process can be repeated a few times to get a picture of your urinary tract and kidneys from all angles.

Once your reports are generated, they are studied by a radiologist to determine if you have kidney stones or not. Their report is further verified and re-examined by your doctor when you submit the report. However, not all types of kidney stones can be diagnosed using abdominal x-rays.

Computerised Tomography Scans (CT Scans)

CT Scans are very useful in diagnosing kidney stones. These tests use computer technology combined with an x-ray machine to take pictures of your urinary tract. The process involves laying down on a flat surface which slowly moves into a tunnel-like area. Urinary tract CT scans are performed without a contrast medium in most cases. However, doctors can order it to make the report easier to view. A contrast medium is a dye, which makes it easier to see the structures inside your body on an imaging test.

Ending Note

Those are the different processes used for kidney stone diagnosis. If you are exhibiting any symptoms of kidney stones, visit MASSH today. We offer easy and quick diagnostic processes followed by kidney stone diagnosis treatment like minimally invasive surgery. Our treatment processes are very safe and allow you to recover quickly. Feel free to check out our official website or visit us today for more information about our treatments.