Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer

To see if you may have kidney cancer, your doctor will do a physical exam. Then he or she may order one or more tests to look for evidence of cancer, such as:

• A Reference urine test.
• Blood tests, such as a Reference complete blood count and a Reference creatinine test.
• Tests that show pictures of your kidneys (imaging tests), such as:
  • A Reference CT scan. This test may involve injecting dye through a catheter in your vein to make the picture clearer.
  • An Reference ultrasound.
  • An Reference MRI. This test may involve injecting dye in your vein to make the picture clearer.

Many cases of early kidney cancer are found during imaging tests that were looking for some other problem.

The imaging tests used to diagnose kidney cancer also show what Reference stage your cancer is. This helps you and your doctor decide on the best treatment.

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