How is bladder cancer identified on an ultrasound?

Bladder cancer can be identified on an ultrasound through the use of several components, all of which are used to detect and diagnose abnormal bladder tissue. The process begins with a transabdominal ultrasound, which looks at the external appearance of the bladder and surrounding tissues. During this scan, your doctor will look for any enlargement or thickening in the walls of the bladder that may indicate a tumor.

The next step is typically intravaginal or endourethral ultrasound (also called cystoscopy), which allows for an internal view of the bladder lining and wall structure. In this procedure, your doctor will insert a small tube with an ultrasound device attached at its end into either your vagina or urethra in order to get better images from inside your body and locate any tumors present in your organs.

If any changes are seen during these scans, then further imaging might be recommended such as CT scans or MRI's to confirm whether it is cancerous tissue before biopsy results come back. Once a diagnosis has been made based on imaging results and biopsy findings, treatment options can be discussed depending on how aggressive it is deemed by doctors. Treatment plans could include chemotherapy or surgery depending on what stage and severity of bladder cancer has been identified by doctors.