Urinary Tract Infections
- Tests and Diagnosis

To make a diagnosis of UTI, your health care provider would ask you some questions, may perform a physical examination on you and may ask for some laboratory tests. The tests commonly ordered include:

Urinalysis - This is a biochemical test that has the ability to reveal presence of protein or blood in the urine.

Urine Microscopy - A small sample of urine is examined under a microscope. It may reveal the presence of bacteria or candida in the urine.

Urine Culture - A sample of urine from the infected person is incubated to see if it would grow bacteria that cause UTI. If it does, another test called a sensitivity test is done to know which antibiotics the bacteria is most sensitive to. A urine culture confirms the diagnosis of suspected urinary tract infection. It also helps to determine what antibiotic will be used to treat it.

These are the most frequently done tests. However, other tests may be appropriate if infection does not respond to antibiotics, if the UTI is recurrent or if the doctor suspects a structural defect in the urinary tract. These test include:

1. Abdominal Ultrasound
2. Pelvic Ultrasound
3. Cystometry which assesses the ability of the bladder to "hold in" or "push out" water or gas.
4. Voiding Cysto-urethrogram takes pictures of your bladder and urethra while urinating.
5. Intravenous Urogram is an X-ray test which provides pictures to assess the size, shape and position of the kidneys, bladder, ureters and urethra.

Created March, 2007
Last updated - August, 2009