Cystoscopy - Why a cystoscopy is used

A cystoscopy can be used to investigate problems with your bladder or urinary system, or it may be used as part of a medical procedure.

Investigating symptoms

You may need to have a cystoscopy if you experience symptoms that suggest there's something wrong with your bladder. For example:

urinary incontinence – the involuntary passing of urine
blood in your urine (haematuria)
persistent pelvic pain
pain or a burning sensation when you pass urine (dysuria)
frequently needing to urinate
not being able to pass urine or only being able to pass urine intermittently (‘stop-start’)
having a feeling your bladder isn't completely empty after passing urine

Investigating conditions

A cystoscopy may also be needed if you have a condition that affects your urinary system, or previous test results suggest you may do (such as abnormal urine test results).

Conditions that a cystoscopy may be used to detect or monitor include:

a narrowed or blocked urethra (urethral stricture); the urethra is the tube that carried urine out of the body
serious or repeated urinary tract infections
polyps (non-cancerous growths)
enlarged prostate
bladder stones
problems with the ureters (the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder)
bladder cancer, as well as other cancers of the urinary tract

Carrying out procedures

A urologist (specialist in treating bladder conditions) can carry out a number of medical procedures using surgical instruments passed down a cystoscope. These include:

removal of a stone from the bladder or ureter
obtaining a urine sample from each of the ureters to check for an infection or tumour
removing a sample of tissue for testing in cases of suspected bladder cancer (biopsy)
inserting a stent (a small tube) into a narrowed ureter to help the flow of urine, or removing an existing stent
injecting dye into the ureters up towards the kidneys which will be highlighted on an X-ray and will help identify problems, such as a blockage or a kidney stone
injecting medication into the bladder or ureters, for example to treat a problem where urine flows up the ureters