Cystourethrogram

Other tests that use X-rays and contrast material to look for problems in the kidney, bladder, and urethra include:

• Retrograde urethrogram. This test is sometimes used to check for problems with a man's urethra. A small quantity of contrast material is injected into the urethra through a catheter. X-rays are then taken. This test can help find tears, scar tissue, prostate narrowing, tumors, or malformations of the urethra.
• Whitaker test. Also called a pressure/flow study, this test combines X-rays with measurements of pressure and flow in the kidneys and ureters. It is used to find the cause of blockage of the kidneys.
• Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) IVP is commonly done to diagnose certain diseases of the urinary tract (such as kidney stones, tumors, or infection) and detect abnormalities of the urinary tract that were present from birth (congenital). It can show the size, shape, and position of the kidneys, the bladder, the ureters, and the urethra, and it can evaluate the collecting system inside the kidneys. For more information, see the medical test Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP).