Renal Cell Carcinoma Diagnosis

Renal cell carcinoma diagnosis starts out with a visit to the urology specialist who will analyze your kidney cancer symptoms and review your medical history. If you have any medical records or imaging it helps if you bring them with you on your initial visit, especially if you are coming in from another country. Another helpful item that can help the urologist is a record of any medications that you may be taking. If you have questions to ask or some information to tell the doctor, write them down and bring them with you. Knowing your family history and any past medical problems are also reviewed. Your current health and vitality are also included since they could impact the type of treatment you would do best with.

Renal cell carcinoma diagnosis will include a physical exam such as touching the flank area to feel for any kidney mass or pain. Blood pressure and temperature can indicate renal cell carcinoma. Both a urine specimen and blood will be taken for testing.

Renal cell carcinoma always uses imaging of the kidney to view any kidney mass that may be in or on the kidney. The imaging will include both the abdomen and chest. Renal ultrasound images can quickly be taken in the office to reveal a kidney mass. Chest x-rays can reveal kidney tumors and also if the renal cell carcinoma has spread to other parts of the body. A CT scan or computed tomography scan is a more detailed image of the kidneys. A dye (contrast) is given prior to the scan to help make distinctions. The CT scan can show Dr. Bianco and Dr. Gheiler if the renal mass is a hollow or fluid filled ball or a solid kidney mass. If the kidney mass is easy to get to, a biopsy will be taken to determine if it is cancerous or not. The CT imaging itself can give the urologist enough information to make a diagnosis and in staging the renal cell carcinoma. An MRI or magnetic resonance imaging can also be used and a bone scan can be performed to see if the cancer has spread.

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