Where: |  | Check in at the Admitting department. Please arrive 20 minutes prior to the scheduled time of your examination. |
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Purpose : | | This x-ray test provides a general evaluation of your kidneys, ureter and urinary bladder. |
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Preparation: | | Medications can be taken prior to your test. Pills should be taken with only a small amount of water.
If are diabetic and take insulin, you must consult your doctor to adjust your dose. You should not take insulin if you are fasting for this examination. When making an appointment for this test, tell the person scheduling the study that you are diabetic and request an appointment early in the day.
If you are diabetic or 70 years or older, you will need to get lab work completed, including a BUN and creatinine, to check kidney function prior to the exam.
If you are allergic to shellfish, iodine or x-ray contrast material (x-ray dye), you need to be pre-medicated for 24 hours prior to your examination. If this pertains to you, you should notify your doctor.
To examine the kidneys satisfactorily, it is important to clean the colon of waste matter or fecal contents, which might prevent the kidneys from being seen well. For this purpose, a Lo-So prep can be picked up at Radiology or your doctor’s office may have them.
On the day before your examination ONLY clear liquids may be taken (water, apple juice, grape drink, bouillon soup, jello, tea or coffee without milk or cream). Be sure to drink a sufficient amount of fluid.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight. |
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Procedure: | | A parent or guardian must accompany Patients less than 18 years old. If possible, please do not bring children with you. Be sure that your doctor's office has sent an x-ray request form to the Radiology Department or that you bring one with you.
You will be asked to change into a hospital gown and given a questionnaire to fill out. If you have asthma, diabetes, heart or kidney problems, sickle cell disease, or if you are or could possibly be pregnant, please let the x-ray Technologist know.
A technologist will escort you into an x-ray examination room, review your questionnaire, and take 2 or 3 x-ray films of your abdomen. After a Radiologist has reviewed these films, you will receive an injection of an x-ray contrast material (x-ray dye) into one of your veins. This material will be absorbed by your blood and will allow your urinary tract to be visualized.
A series of x-ray films will be taken over the next 20 or 30 minutes to examine your kidneys, ureters and urinary bladder.
The Radiologist's report of the results of the examination will be sent to the doctor who referred you for this test. Your doctor will discuss the results with you.  |
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After Care: | | Resume your normal diet and drink plenty of water to flush the contrast material out of your system.
If you are diabetic and take Glucophage or any type of Metformin (an oral hypoglycemic medications), you may take the medicine before the x-ray examination but cannot resume taking it for at least 48 hours after the study is completed. Also, you must call the doctor who ordered the study to find out when it is safe to resume taking Glucophage.
Please call (812) 254-8851 to speak with an x-ray Technologist if you have any questions before or after your examination. |
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Reviewed: | | 02/11/2013 |