OUTPATIENT EVALUATION OF HEMATURIA - LOCATING THE SOURCE OF BLEEDING

Hematuria can have many causes, ranging from minor to serious. Urinaly sis can usually differentiate a renal from a urologic source of bleedi ng. Most often the cause is found to be in the lower urinary tract. In patients with normal renal. function and no significant proteinuria, red blood cell casts, or dysmorphic red blood cells, a urologic workup is indicated. When hematuria is thought to be of renal origin and ass ociated with proteinuria and hypertension, renal biopsy may help to pi npoint the diagnosis.