Do you sometimes feel pain when you urinate ? Or have you noticed a little blood in your urine? It's normal to feel a little scared when you see something like this. But when you have symptoms like these, your doctor may ask you to do a urine test. Urine Cytology is a special test that is done at such times. Let's see what it is, why it is done, and what it can find.
What exactly is a urine cytology test?
Simply put, this involves looking at the cells in a sample of your urine under a microscope. Small cells are constantly shed from the walls of our urinary tract and passed out with the urine. In this test, a specialist doctor checks to see if those cells are normal, healthy cells, or if there are any abnormalities, especially cancer cells . This is a very important initial test to detect cancer of the urinary tract.
Why do you need to do this test?
There may be several main reasons why your doctor may order this test.
The main thing is to confirm if you suspect urinary tract cancer. This test can help identify the following types of cancer :
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Ureter cancer (cancer of the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder)
- Urethral cancer
In addition, if you have the following symptoms, your doctor may recommend this test.
| Symptom | A simple explanation |
|---|---|
| Blood in the urine | This is the main reason for this test. In medicine, we call this (Haematuria) . Sometimes the urine can be pink, red or brown in color that is visible to the eye. Sometimes it can be so small that it can only be detected by a regular urine test. |
| Difficulty urinating | Difficulty starting to urinate, decreased urine flow, and feeling like there's still more to urinate after you've finished. |
| Pain or burning when urinating | Burning or pain when urinating. This is also called dysuria . This can be a symptom of a urinary tract infection, but it can also be caused by other conditions. |
How exactly do you give a urine sample for testing?
Okay, now let's see how to properly provide a sample for this test. This is very important, because if the sample is provided incorrectly, it can affect the accuracy of the report.
The most important thing is that the first urine sample you take in the morning is not suitable for this. This is because the cells that have been in the bladder all night may have degraded. Therefore, it is difficult to get a clear result from it. The second urine sample of the day is usually the most suitable.
There are two main ways to obtain the sample.
1. Clean Catch Method
This is the most commonly used, do-it-yourself method. It is important to keep the sample free from contamination from germs on the skin around the urethra . It is very important to follow the instructions given by the lab.
- Step 1: First, wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
- Step 2: Clean the area around the urethral opening thoroughly with the special towelette provided with the sample cup or with clean water.
- Step 3: Now first pass some urine into the toilet. After a few seconds, stop urinating.
- Step 4: Then start urinating again and add some urine to the specimen cup you were given. The cup should be about half full.
- Step 5: Close the lid tightly, being careful not to touch the inside of the cup.
- Step 6: Make sure the cup is properly labeled with your name and details, and hand it over to the lab or doctor as soon as possible.
2. Using a Catheter
In some cases, especially if you are having difficulty giving a sample yourself, your doctor or nurse may use a very thin, flexible tube called a catheter to collect a urine sample. This tube is inserted through your urethra and into your bladder to collect the sample. However, this method carries a small risk of urinary tract infection, so it is only done in extreme cases.
What happens after the report comes in? Are more tests needed?
This is something to keep in mind. A urine cytology test alone cannot definitively diagnose any disease. It only gives a basic idea. If the report says there are "abnormal cells" or "suspicious cells", it does not necessarily mean that you have cancer. It just means that more tests are needed to find the cause.
Your doctor may recommend the following additional tests based on the report.
Imaging Studies
Your doctor may want to see pictures of your urinary system. This may involve an X-ray or a CT scan (Computed Tomography scan) . A CT scan can take three-dimensional (3D) images of organs like your kidneys and bladder. It can help you see if there is anything, such as a tumor, in your urinary tract.
Cystoscopy
This is a very important test. A very thin, flexible tube with a camera (cystoscope) is inserted through your urethra and the inside of your bladder is examined. This allows the doctor to see directly if there are any abnormalities, redness, or small lumps inside. If necessary, a small piece of tissue (biopsy) can be taken from a suspicious area and examined.
Sometimes, a test called a ureteroscopy is also performed at the same time, which uses an even thinner tube to examine the tubes (ureters) that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.
Take-Home Message
- Urine Cytology is an important basic test to identify cells in the urine, especially cancer cells.
- Blood in the urine (haematuria) or other difficulty urinating are the main reasons for this test.
- When providing the sample for testing, do not use first-morning urine. It is best to provide the sample using the "Clean Catch" method.
- This test report alone cannot definitively diagnose a disease. If an abnormal result is found, further tests such as a CT scan or cystoscopy may be required.
- If you have any unusual symptoms related to your urine, don't panic or speculate, but see your doctor immediately for advice. That's the best way to stay healthy.
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