Risk factors:
Chronic digestive conditions, such as stomach ulcers and diverticulitis, can create problems. This is especially true if they are left untreated.
Risky behavior, such as playing contact sports, can raise your chance of traumatic injuries. Some of these injuries can damage the retroperitoneal space.
Surgical procedures performed with unclean equipment or poor hygiene can increase your risk of infection and retroperitoneal inflammation.
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis begins with a physical exam. Your doctor will assess your symptoms. Then they will typically order an ultrasound, abdominal X-ray, CT scan, or MRI. These imaging tests will help reveal any abnormalities in the retroperitoneal space.
This will allow your doctor to assess your condition. This will also help your doctor see if any organs are affected by the inflammation and rule out other conditions.
Blood tests can help identify signs of inflammation in your blood. They can also identify signs of anemia (low red blood cell count). These can be signs of other conditions, such as retroperitoneal fibrosis.
Additionally, blood cultures can detect whether a bacterial infection has spread into your bloodstream.
Courtesy: Health Line