X-Ray IVP Test

Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) is an X-ray examination that uses contrast material injection to evaluate your kidneys, ureters and bladder. The test helps in diagnosing blood in urine or pain in your side and lower back. IVP is an accurate examination that can allow your doctor to treat you with medication and avoid surgery. An X-ray is a non- invasive test that helps doctors diagnose and treat, medical conditions X rays are the oldest and most used forms of diagnosing different medical conditions. An IVP allows the radiologist to view and access the anatomy, functioning of kidney, ureters and bladder.

Detailed set of instructions are given by the doctor before you appear for your IVP study. It is likely that the doctor will instruct you not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the night before the examination. He may also instruct you to take a mild laxative the evening before the test.

You should inform the doctor regarding any kind of medications that you are taking or if you are allergic to a particular item or not especially iodinated contrast materials. The doctor needs to know about your recent illnesses and health conditions. Women are supposed to inform their doctors if there is any possibility of them being pregnant. Many test are not performed during pregnancy so that the foetus does not get exposed to the radiation.

An IVP test helps the radiologist access abnormalities in the urinary system of the patient. The doctor orders an IVP test to be conducted to know the cause of blood in urine and pain in lower and side back. An IVP test can help the radiologist detect problems resulting from kidney stones and tumours in kidney, ureters and urinary bladder.

The patient is made to lie on the table and the x ray images are taken. Then the contrast material is injected usually in the vein of your arm flowed up by additional still images. The number of images that are taken depends on the reason of the examination and the anatomy of the patient.

The patient is asked to stay still to reduce the possibility of blurred image. As the contrast material processes towards the kidneys a number of images are taken to determine the actual kidney size and image the urinary tract in action as it begins to get empty. An IVP test usually completes within an hour but since some kidneys may function at a slower rate it can take up to 4 hours.