What Tests Are Needed for Cystitis Glandularis? How to Differentiate It from Other Diseases?

When it comes to cystitis, everyone is familiar with it, but when it comes to glandular cystitis, many people don't know much about it. Cystitis glandular is a relatively rare, specialized type of cystitis. So, what tests are needed if glandular cystitis is suspected? What diseases should it be differentiated from? Let's take a look at it!

What tests are needed for cystitis glandular?

1. General examination

For female patients, the external urethral opening should first be checked for strictures or other gynecologic conditions. A narrow urethral opening may obstruct urine flow, which in turn leads to bladder discomfort. For male patients, the doctor will usually examine the posterior wall of the bladder for sclerosis or abnormality through rectal palpation because glandular cystitis in men is often associated with prostate diseases, and a sclerotic posterior wall of the bladder can indicate chronic bladder inflammation.

2. Laboratory tests

The urine routine is one of the most basic tests among the laboratory tests. Patients with cystitis glandularis often have urinary tract infections. Routine urinalysis can reveal abnormalities in the urine, such as white blood cells, red blood cells, or bacteria, suggesting infection or inflammation in the bladder. In addition, urodynamic examination helps assess bladder function and understand whether there are any abnormalities in the urination process, such as slowed down urine flow or difficulty in urination.

3. Cystoscopy

Cystoscopy is one of the most important tools for diagnosing glandular cystitis. Through cystoscopy, doctors can directly observe the lesions in the bladder. In patients with glandular cystitis, the bladder is filled with mucus flocculent, papillary edema may appear around the bladder triangle and the inner urethral orifice. In addition, single or clusters of translucent or grayish-yellow cysts are commonly seen on the bladder wall.

4. Imaging tests

Imaging tests, such as ultrasound and CT scan, also play an important role in diagnosing cystitis glandularis. An ultrasound or CT scan allows the doctor to see possible space-occupying lesions in the bladder or thickening of the bladder wall. These symptoms are often similar to bladder tumors, so further tests are needed to clarify the cause. However, the results of these imaging tests are not specific and can only suggest a lesion in the bladder, which does not directly confirm the diagnosis of cystitis glandularis.

5. Tissue biopsy

A tissue biopsy is an important way to confirm the diagnosis of cystitis glandularis when other tests fail to make a definitive diagnosis. Through tissue biopsy, doctors can observe pathological changes in the bladder tissue, including squamous epithelial hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration, and other pathological features, which help confirm the diagnosis of cystitis glandularis.

What are the diseases that need to be differentiated from glandular cystitis?

1. Acute cystitis

Acute cystitis is a common bladder disease, which is mainly characterized by symptoms of bladder irritation such as frequent urination, urgent urination and painful urination. Compared with glandular cystitis, acute cystitis has more obvious urinary tract irritation symptoms, usually accompanied by significant urethral discomfort. Patients with cystitis glandularis often present with a mucus-filled flocculent bladder and thickening of the bladder wall. Cystoscopy and tissue biopsy can help further differentiate between the two.

2. Interstitial cystitis

The clinical presentation of interstitial cystitis is very similar to that of glandular cystitis, and both present with symptoms of bladder irritation. However, patients with interstitial cystitis usually present with frequent urination and severe pain when the bladder is full, which is relieved by urination. Cystoscopy and tissue biopsy can help clarify the diagnosis. The cystoscopic manifestations of interstitial cystitis are usually bleeding spots or ulcers in the bladder wall, while adenoid cystitis is characterized by mucous flocculent and cysts.

3. Bladder tumors

Bladder tumors often present with painless hematuria, intermittent episodes of bladder irritation, and difficulty in urination. As the disease progresses, patients may also experience systemic symptoms, such as fever, nausea, and weight loss. Glandular cystitis, on the other hand, is characterized by frequent urination, urinary urgency, painful urination, urinary incontinence, and other symptoms, and most of them are recurrent. Cystoscopy and tissue biopsy help differentiate the two.

Treatment of cystitis glandular 

Once diagnosed with cystitis glandular, patients need to receive prompt treatment. The goal of treating glandular cystitis is to relieve symptoms, eliminate inflammation, and improve bladder function. Traditional Chinese medicine treatment is a common option, such as Diuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill. It relieves the patient's symptoms of bladder irritation. It helps reduce the symptoms of frequent, urgent, and painful urination by promoting diuresis, relieving stranguria, eliminating inflammation, and activating blood circulation to relieve pain.

This is an introduction to what tests are needed for glandular cystitis and what diseases are to be differentiated from. If you are diagnosed with glandular cystitis, you must actively seek medical treatment to prevent the condition from worsening.

Recommended Readings:

The Difference and Relationship Between Bladder Cancer and Cystitis Glandularis

Treatment of Cystitis Cystica Glandularis with Natural Medicine

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