[Interstitial cystitis: minimal diagnostic criteria]

Any article reporting on Interstitial Cystitis (IC) will list numerous investigations. This paper presents a review of the minimum investigations needed and their significance for the initial evaluation and diagnosis of patients with Interstitial Cystitis. To optimize patient?s early diagnosis and disease monitoring, a comprehensive algorithm for the diagnosis of IC has been proposed. The paper defines interstitial cystitis (IC) as a disease of the urinary bladder diagnosed by at least one of the following 3 requirements: 1) endoscopic criteria (cystoscopy findings); 2) pathologic criteria of bladder biopsy; and 3) clinical criteria including pain and lower urinary tract symptoms evaluation. Furthermore, the exclusion of confusable diseases is mandatory in all cases. These are recommendations, mostly based on expert opinions and literature review. Where possible, a level of recommendation was developed according to a 3-grade scale: mandatory (grade 1), recommended (grade 2), and optional (grade 3). By using a stepwise approach and an evidence-based thought process, the diagnosis of IC is made easier and reliable.