If the tests show that you have cancer of the bladder, the urologist will want you to have some further tests to see if the cancer has spread. The tests also help the doctor to decide on the best type of treatment for you.

This is taken to check that your lungs and heart are healthy.

Some people may have an IVU. This test shows up anything unusual in the bladder, ureters or kidneys (urinary system). It is done in the hospital x-ray department and takes about an hour. A dye is injected into a vein in your arm, and travels through the bloodstream to the kidneys. The doctor can watch on a screen how the dye passes through the urinary system and can pick up any problems.

The dye will make you feel hot and flushed for a few minutes but this feeling goes away after a short time.

A CT (computerised tomography) scan checks how deeply the cancer has spread into the wall of the bladder and whether it has spread into the area around the bladder. A series of x-ray pictures is taken of the pelvis and fed into a computer to give a detailed picture of the inside of the body.

You will be given a special liquid to drink a few hours before your test, and again, in the x-ray department. This liquid shows up on x-ray and makes sure that a clear picture is taken.

Once you are lying comfortably on the couch, the scan can be taken. The scan itself is painless. You have to lie still for up to 10–15 minutes.

Most people are able to go home as soon as their scan is over.

An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan is similar to a CT scan, but uses magnetism instead of x-rays to build up cross-sectional pictures of your body. You cannot have an MRI scan if you have any metal in your body, such as heart pacemakers or certain types of surgical clips.

During the test, you will be asked to lie very still on a couch inside a long tube for about 30 minutes. It can be slightly uncomfortable and some people feel claustrophobic during the scan. It is also very noisy, but you will be given earplugs or headphones to wear. You can usually take someone with you into the room to keep you company.

This test can also show up anything unusual in your urinary system. It uses sound waves to build up a picture of the inside of the body.

You’ll be asked to drink plenty of fluids before your test so that your bladder is full and can be seen clearly. Once you are lying comfortably on your back, a special gel is spread over the skin of your abdomen. A small device, like a microphone, is passed over the area. It gives out sound waves and picks them up as they bounce back (echoes) from the organs inside your body. The echoes are made into a picture by a computer. The scan is painless and takes about 15–20 minutes. Once it’s over, you will be able to empty your bladder.

It will probably take several days for the results of your tests to be ready, and this waiting period will obviously be an anxious time for you. It may help if you can talk things over with a close friend or relative. You can also contact our cancer support service or another organisation.