Voiding cystourethrogram

Alternative names:

cystourethrogram - voiding

How the test is performed:

The test is performed in a hospital radiology department or in the health care provider's office by an X-ray technician. You will be asked to lie on the back on the X-ray table. A catheter (a thin flexible tube) will be gently inserted into the urethra and passed through into the bladder. The contrast medium is injected through the catheter and the catheter is clamped. A number of X-ray films are then taken in various positions. The catheter is removed, and you are repositioned and expected to urinate (void). A high-speed film is taken of the bladder and urethra during voiding.

How to prepare for the test:

Inform the health care provider if you are:

• pregnant
• allergic to X-ray contrast material
• allergic to any medications

You must sign a consent form. You will be given a gown to wear. Remove all jewelry.

Children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experience, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:

• toddler test or procedure preparation (1 to 3 years)
• preschooler test or procedure preparation (3 to 6 years)
• schoolage test or procedure preparation (6 to 12 years)
• adolescent test or procedure preparation (12 to 18 years)

How the test will feel:

There is some discomfort with the catheter and the full bladder.

Why the test is performed:

This test is performed to detect abnormalities of the bladder and the urethra (tube that leads from the bladder to the outside). The test may also detect abnormal bladder emptying, congenital anomaly (abnormality); and in males, it may detect urethral stricture and extent of narrowing in the prostatic urethra.