X Ray Information: What is An IVP?

Medical terminology can be very confusing and somewhat intimidating to patients, or people who are not trained in medicine. We have big, long names for procedures, medications and even for xray exams themselves. One of the more common questions from patients is "What is an IVP?"
IVP stands for Intravenous Pyelogram. Simply put, this is an exam to demonstrate the entire Urinary System by means of an IV injection. The technologist will inject an xray dye, or contrast agent, into a vein in order to demonstrate the kidneys, ureters and bladder. It's a relatively painless procedure. Probably the biggest complaint is having to lie on the xray table for perhaps 45 minutes to an hour. We have a special pad that we use on our table to make it a bit more comfortable. Pictures are taken immediatley after the injection is given, and then at designated times after that. The first few pictures demonstrate the kidneys. Delayed pictures will visualize the ureters and eventually the bladder. The number of pictures will vary according to the preference of each Radiologist. Certain conditions can dictate the length of the exam as well. Patients with a kidney stone that is obstructing a ureter can often have to wait several hours to see if the kidney will eventually empty the contrast. The Xray technologist will explain and inform the patient if these delays are necessary.
Many physicians today will order CAT Scans instead of IVP's. There are still many reasons why they are still done on a regular basis. A majority of our patients present with a history of hematuria, or blood in the urine. There are a multitude of reasons for that, sometimes it's an infection, a kidney stone, possibly a tumor. We do IVP's for kidney stones quite often. It is a very informative exam for the physician. I hope this has provided some useful information for you.