Tests after a kidney cancer diagnosis

You may have more tests after your diagnosis to find out:

• How large is the cancer?
• Where exactly is the cancer?
• Has the cancer spread to any other parts of your body?

This is called staging. Staging tests for kidney cancer include:

• Ultrasound scan: A device like a microphone passed over your tummy to pick up abnormal changes in your kidney, bladder and nearby organs
• CT scan: A special type of X-ray to give a picture of the tissues inside your body
• MRI scan: This is a scan that uses magnetic energy and radio waves to create a picture of the tissues inside your body
• Cytoscopy: A small tube with a light passed into your bladder to look at the bladder lining
• Image-guided biopsy: Taking a sample of the kidney tissue using a long thin needle, guided to the right place by a CT or ultrasound scan

Read more about these staging tests.