Page "Interstitial cystitis" Paragraph 31

In 2006, the ESSIC society proposed more rigorous and demanding diagnostic methods with specific classification criteria so that it cannot be confused with other, similar conditions.

Specifically, they require that a patient must have pain associated with the bladder, accompanied by one other urinary symptom.

Thus, a patient with just frequency or urgency would be excluded from a diagnosis.

Secondly, they strongly encourage the exclusion of confusable diseases through an extensive and expensive series of tests including ( A ) a medical history and physical exam, ( B ) a dipstick urinalysis, various urine cultures, and a serum PSA in men over 40, ( C ) flowmetry and post-void residual urine volume by ultrasound scanning and ( D ) cystoscopy.

A diagnosis of IC / BPS would be confirmed with a hydrodistention during cystoscopy with biopsy.