Retrograde cystography

You will lie on a table. A numbing medicine is applied to the opening to your urethra. A flexible tube (catheter) is inserted through your urethra into the bladder. Contrast dye flows through the tube until your bladder is full or you tell the technician that your bladder feels full. When the bladder is full, you are…

You must sign an informed consent form. You must empty your bladder before the test. You will be asked questions to determine if you may have an allergic reaction to the contrast dye, or if you have a current infection that could make inserting the catheter difficult.

You may feel some pressure when the catheter is inserted. You will feel an urge to urinate when the contrast dye enters the bladder. The person performing the test will stop the flow when the pressure becomes uncomfortable. The urge to urinate will continue throughout the test. After the test, the area where the…

You may need this test to examine your bladder for problems such as holes or tears, or to find out why you have repeated bladder infections. It is also used to look for problems such as: Abnormal connections between bladder tissue and a nearby structure (bladder fistulae) Bladder stones Pouch-like sacs called…

The bladder appears normal.

Abnormal results may be due to: Bladder stones Blood clots Diverticula Infection or inflammation Lesions Vesicoureteric reflux

There is some risk for infection from the catheter. Symptoms may include: Burning during urination (after the first day) Chills Decreased blood pressure (hypotension) Fever Increased heart rate Increased breathing rate The amount of radiation exposure is similar to that of other x-rays. As with any radiation exposure,…

In males, testicles are shielded from the x-rays. This test is not performed very often. It is most often done along with CT scan imaging for better resolution. Voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) or cystoscopy is used more often.

Bishoff JT, Rastinehad AR. Urinary tract imaging: basic principles of CT, MRI, and plain film imaging. In: Partin AW, Domochowski RR, Kavoussi LR, Peters CA, eds. Campbell-Walsh-Wein Urology . 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 3. Davis JE, Silverman MA. Urologic procedures. In: Roberts JR, Custalow CB,…