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What Do The Following Blood And Urine Test Reports Indicate?
Question: Hi,again, Dr. XXXXXXX I followed up with an additional blood and urine test 6 weeks after completing the antibiotics for the UTI that we discussed. The PSA in the blood test was back to normal, and so was the urine test. The doctor had me do a kidney ultrasound and said they were normal except for some tiny vesicular calcification in the left kidney, for which she said to drink more water. I thought I drink enough, but could you tell me the significance of tiny vesicular calcification "cysts" - the cause and whether they can be eliminated? Thank you.
I guess they are correctly called tiny vascular calcifications/renal cysts.
I guess they are correctly called tiny vascular calcifications/renal cysts.
Brief Answer:
Causes are always unclear with renal cysts sir
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again sir.
Thank you for writing to me.
The causes for renal cysts are few and I shall go ahead and list them for your reference sir:
+Weakening of the surface layer of the kidney
+Autosomal abnormalities
+Diverticulum in the kidney region
and a few others.
But sir, I should let you know that in majority of cases it is difficult to find the cause for renal cysts, and so the doctors do not even waste much time in finding the cause and just go ahead with treatment straight away.
I hope I have explained things in a manner best understood by you. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
Causes are always unclear with renal cysts sir
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again sir.
Thank you for writing to me.
The causes for renal cysts are few and I shall go ahead and list them for your reference sir:
+Weakening of the surface layer of the kidney
+Autosomal abnormalities
+Diverticulum in the kidney region
and a few others.
But sir, I should let you know that in majority of cases it is difficult to find the cause for renal cysts, and so the doctors do not even waste much time in finding the cause and just go ahead with treatment straight away.
I hope I have explained things in a manner best understood by you. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for your reply as always. Since they were identified as tiny, what does that signify only on one kidney? The doctor said there was no need to treat it, just to redo a sonogram in a year or two. So it sounds like it's not really likely to be an issue related to drinking water. How should I think about it from now on? Thanks.
The doctor also said that although men rarely get UTIs in my case it must have just been some bacterial infection that got into my system somehow.
I suppose the small vascular calcification are pretty common among people?
The doctor also said that although men rarely get UTIs in my case it must have just been some bacterial infection that got into my system somehow.
I suppose the small vascular calcification are pretty common among people?
Brief Answer:
Always my pleasure sir
Detailed Answer:
Hi sir.
Yes, when they are very small in size there is really nothing much we can do about them, and nothing much that is required to be done either.
The reason why your doctor has asked you to drink enough and more amount of water is so that we can avoid other possible complications (e.g. development of kidney stones) that can further complicate your current condition. So you are right in understanding that drinking fluids has nothing to do with your current condition, but it not drinking enough fluids can result in conditions that can further complicate your current condition is all.
You need not change anything you are already doing; mainly because the cause for renal cysts is most unknown as I have explained in my previous response. So nothing you can do can really change its course sir, being completely honest.
Yes sir, they are quite common among people; especially the middle aged and elderly somehow.
Best wishes.
Always my pleasure sir
Detailed Answer:
Hi sir.
Yes, when they are very small in size there is really nothing much we can do about them, and nothing much that is required to be done either.
The reason why your doctor has asked you to drink enough and more amount of water is so that we can avoid other possible complications (e.g. development of kidney stones) that can further complicate your current condition. So you are right in understanding that drinking fluids has nothing to do with your current condition, but it not drinking enough fluids can result in conditions that can further complicate your current condition is all.
You need not change anything you are already doing; mainly because the cause for renal cysts is most unknown as I have explained in my previous response. So nothing you can do can really change its course sir, being completely honest.
Yes sir, they are quite common among people; especially the middle aged and elderly somehow.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello again, Dr. XXXXXXX I just received my test results on paper in the mail in addition to hearing from the doctor this morning. My urine test shows everything normal compared to what it was on XXXXXXX 14 except the leukocytes, which were "moderate" then are now "trace", and the Blood, which was "large" then are "small" now. Shouldn't both of these be gone completely 6 weeks after completing the antibiotics?
With regard to the kidneys, strangely enough besides the tiny calcifications the SIZES of the kidneys are different. My right kidney is 9.5 cm and my left is 12.5. I was born with monoplasia in my right foot, but that should not account for the right kidney being 3 cm less than the left. How common is this situation? Thanks.
With regard to the kidneys, strangely enough besides the tiny calcifications the SIZES of the kidneys are different. My right kidney is 9.5 cm and my left is 12.5. I was born with monoplasia in my right foot, but that should not account for the right kidney being 3 cm less than the left. How common is this situation? Thanks.
Brief Answer:
Possibly due to some underlying cause; usually left smaller than right
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again sir.
Yes, they should have been long gone by now unless:
+The main cause for the UTI (e.g. kidney stones, prostate enlargement, etc.) is still present
+The antibiotics used were either not effective enough or the dosage did not suffice
or other reasons.
The left kidney is usually smaller than the right in normal individuals, but if there is an enlargement in your left kidney making it larger than your right kidney, then there could be some possible abnormality with your left kidney, possibly even the calcifications you have spoken about.
You are always welcome sir.
Best wishes.
Possibly due to some underlying cause; usually left smaller than right
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again sir.
Yes, they should have been long gone by now unless:
+The main cause for the UTI (e.g. kidney stones, prostate enlargement, etc.) is still present
+The antibiotics used were either not effective enough or the dosage did not suffice
or other reasons.
The left kidney is usually smaller than the right in normal individuals, but if there is an enlargement in your left kidney making it larger than your right kidney, then there could be some possible abnormality with your left kidney, possibly even the calcifications you have spoken about.
You are always welcome sir.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you. When should I so another urine test to check the leukocytes and blood again? Should I be concerned that the new urine test showed trace of leukocytes and even blood "small." Would I need to also do ultrasound of my bladder or take Macrobid again, which I took for 10 days at the end of June? Was 10 days not enough? The kidneys were normal except for the tiny calcification. Thanks.
Brief Answer:
Sorry for the delay sir
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again sir.
I would recommend another urine test in a while only if you were currently on treatment. But being off any form of treatment, honestly speaking, I do not know how and whether there will be a change in your urine report once repeated. I hope you understand why I say this?
You should not be concerned, but you should take it up with your doctor to find the cause for the remnant trace WBC and blood.
I would surely recommend an ultrasound of your prostate, PSA level check and an ultrasound KUB (kidney, ureter, bladder) to rule out these most common causes (if this was not already done i.e.).
Taking the macrobid actually depends on what the cause is, just taking antibiotics without knowing the cause is not wise and I am sure your doctor would not blindly prescribe the antibiotics until the cause is determined.
10 days is usually enough, but some infections require a longer course (e.g. 14 or 21 days). In your case, as the cause is unclear, I cannot accurately comment on this, I hope you understand why.
Best wishes.
Sorry for the delay sir
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again sir.
I would recommend another urine test in a while only if you were currently on treatment. But being off any form of treatment, honestly speaking, I do not know how and whether there will be a change in your urine report once repeated. I hope you understand why I say this?
You should not be concerned, but you should take it up with your doctor to find the cause for the remnant trace WBC and blood.
I would surely recommend an ultrasound of your prostate, PSA level check and an ultrasound KUB (kidney, ureter, bladder) to rule out these most common causes (if this was not already done i.e.).
Taking the macrobid actually depends on what the cause is, just taking antibiotics without knowing the cause is not wise and I am sure your doctor would not blindly prescribe the antibiotics until the cause is determined.
10 days is usually enough, but some infections require a longer course (e.g. 14 or 21 days). In your case, as the cause is unclear, I cannot accurately comment on this, I hope you understand why.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Yes, thank you. The doctor told me to come in next Friday in a week to do another urine test, but thinks the little bit of blood/leukocytes is just "residual" from the infection. I did the ultrasound of my kidneys, as you know, but this did not include the bladder or ureters. The PSA is back to normal as I mentioned. I don't understand why I was asked to another urine test next week, but I guess I will know more then and let you know too. Thank you.
Brief Answer:
Please be as inquisitive with your doctor as possible, so we know more
Detailed Answer:
Hi sir.
Usually, when a patient is on antibiotics, we ask them to return once the course of antibiotics are complete because we know there will be a difference in the urine result because the individual was on antibiotics and should have gotten better.
But as such is not your scenario, I do not know how much of a difference we can expect. But if at all it were to be residual WBC and blood, it should have been there for a few days after the last dose of antibiotics. But your test shows residual WBC and blood almost 6 weeks after the last dose of antibiotics. This cannot be residual in any case, and if it is seen again then this is for sure either a recurrent or inadequately treated infection that requires immediate initiation of antibiotics no matter what the cause.
Please do keep me updated, and without letting your doctor know about our discussion, do question him about things like I have mentioned in the previous para so he/she knows that you cannot be kept in the blind.
Best wishes sir.
Please be as inquisitive with your doctor as possible, so we know more
Detailed Answer:
Hi sir.
Usually, when a patient is on antibiotics, we ask them to return once the course of antibiotics are complete because we know there will be a difference in the urine result because the individual was on antibiotics and should have gotten better.
But as such is not your scenario, I do not know how much of a difference we can expect. But if at all it were to be residual WBC and blood, it should have been there for a few days after the last dose of antibiotics. But your test shows residual WBC and blood almost 6 weeks after the last dose of antibiotics. This cannot be residual in any case, and if it is seen again then this is for sure either a recurrent or inadequately treated infection that requires immediate initiation of antibiotics no matter what the cause.
Please do keep me updated, and without letting your doctor know about our discussion, do question him about things like I have mentioned in the previous para so he/she knows that you cannot be kept in the blind.
Best wishes sir.
Note: For further queries related to kidney problems and comprehensive renal care, talk to a Nephrologist. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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