How are Kidney Stones/ Gallstones Diagnosed?

When any of these symptoms occur:

• severe kidney pain

• nausea and vomiting

• burning and the urge to pass urine

• frequent urination

• cloudy or foul-smelling urine

• fever, chills

• blood in the urine

• bloating,

• pus in the urine

You may have a kidney stone and it is best to see your doctor. People who experience the severe pain of passing a stone usually go to a hospital emergency room. There they are usually given pain killers and intravenous fluids in hope that the stone will pass on its own. Testing is also done to confirm that a stone is present.

The doctor will perform a number of diagnostic tests to diagnose kidney stones. Diagnostic tests include a blood test, a urine test and a 24-hour urine collection test. The 24-hour urine test is done to monitor urine volume, levels of acidity, and if a stone has passed into the sample, the make-up of stone (i.e., calcium-based, uric acid based, etc.) is also determined.

Other diagnostic tests include a kidney-ureter-bladder (KUB) x-ray, a kidney ultrasound, an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) and if recommended, a CAT (CT) scan.

• A KUB x-ray involves low doses of electromagnetic energy to produce a picture of the kidney-ureter-bladder area. This x-ray will reveal kidney stones in these areas.
• A kidney ultrasound is a diagnostic technique in which high frequency sound waves are passed into the kidney to detect obstructions and changes.
• During an IVP, a colorless substance is injected into the vein. This substance circulates to the kidney and is excreted and concentrated, making the area in and around the kidney white. Obstructed and dilated areas will fill with white contrast much slower than normal.
• A CT scan involves injecting a dye into the body that infiltrates the kidneys and accentuates the images. Using a series of cross-sectional x-rays, the images, made by the dye, make it possible to detect kidney stones. 

Source: http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/, photo courtesy of guardian.co.uk.