To help your physician in the evaluation and follow-up of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and reflux.

An imaging nurse will attempt to contact you a couple of days before your scheduled appointment to explain the procedure. 

Upon arrival to our department an imaging nurse will talk with you about the exam.  Prior to the start of the exam, an imaging nurse will place a catheter into your bladder. 

Depending upon your age and physical limitations, you will either be imaged upright or lying flat.  We will start acquiring imagines immediately as we fill your bladder and watch it empty. 

There might be some discomfort as your bladder fills.  This filling process will only last a couple of minutes.

If you have any technical questions specific to this procedure, please don’t hesitate to ask the technologist or the nurse at scan time.  All clinical questions should be directed to your physician.

A report will be sent to your ordering physician.

Total time in our department will be about 1 hour.  Length of stay will vary if sedation is given.

There is a small risk of a urinary tract infection after catherization. 

The imaging nurse will talk to you about this risk  prior to discharge.

Studies of the health effects of radiation have shown that high doses of radiation can cause cancer.  However, this hospital procedure requires that we inject you with a very low level of radioactive material. 

The risk from lower doses of radiation, such as you will receive during this exam, is uncertain.  Most scientists believe that the risk is very small.  Certainly, the benefits received from the exam far outweigh the small risk associated with this procedure