Clinical staging has critical importance in selecting patients for radical cystectomy. The necessary data for accurate clinical staging of bladder carcinoma are obtained from cystoscopy, rectal examination under anaesthesia, transurethral resection, pathologic examination and radiographic imaging. Today, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are the two most commonly used radiographic techniques in clinical staging of bladder carcinoma. The development of newer imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography, lymphotropic nanoparticle enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, virtual cystoscopy and intra-operative ultrasound has brought encouraging results in accuracy of the disease staging.