Hematuria: Is it from UTI or something more serious?

The presence of blood in the urine is a significant finding that calls for prompt evaluation. Gross hematuria usually indicates a serious problem; its correlation with malignancy-typically a transitional cell carcinoma-isfairly high. Microscopically detectable blood is less likely to signal a mojor underlying condition; a finding of 0 to 3 red cells per high-power field is probably innocent. The workup for gross and microscopic hematuria focuses on disturbances of urinary tract function and indudes a history and physical examination, urinalysis, rodiologic imaging, urine cytology, and cystoscopy. The presence of hematuria, proteinuria, and rend insufficiency warrants referral to a nephrologist. A search for the cause of microscopic hematuria is much less likely than a workup for gross hematuria to uncover a lifethreatening condition. If the hematuria persists, repeat the urinalysis and cytology every 6 months until the problem resolves or 3 years have passed.