Editing Kidney stone disease (section)

=== Laboratory examination ===
[[File:Struvite crystals dog with scale 1.JPG|thumb|[[Struvite]] crystals found on [[Urine microscopy|microscopic examination]] of the urine]]

Laboratory investigations typically carried out include:<ref name=Anoia2009 /><ref name=Fang2009 /><ref name=Pietrow2006 /><ref name=NIDDK2007 />
* [[Urine microscopy|microscopic examination]] of the urine, which may show [[red blood cell]]s, bacteria, [[leukocyte]]s, [[urinary cast]]s, and crystals;
* urine culture to identify any infecting organisms present in the urinary tract and [[Kirby-Bauer antibiotic testing|sensitivity]] to determine the susceptibility of these organisms to specific antibiotics;
* [[complete blood count]], looking for [[neutrophilia]] (increased [[neutrophil granulocyte]] count) suggestive of bacterial infection, as seen in the setting of struvite stones;
* [[renal function]] tests to look for abnormally high blood calcium levels ([[Hypercalcaemia|hypercalcemia]]);
* 24&nbsp;hour urine collection to measure total daily urinary volume, magnesium, sodium, uric acid, calcium, citrate, oxalate, and [[phosphate]];
* collection of stones (by urinating through a StoneScreen kidney stone collection cup or a simple [[tea strainer]]) is useful. Chemical analysis of collected stones can establish their composition, which in turn can help to guide future preventive and therapeutic management.
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