Retrograde Pyelography

Your doctor may perform retrograde pyelography in conjunction with cystoscopy if he or she is evaluating hematuria or recurrent or suspected cancer. Like an IVP, retrograde pyelography uses a contrast material to produce x-ray images of the ureters and kidneys. However, in retrograde pyelography, the dye is injected directly into the ureters rather than into a vein.

What to expect:

Retrograde pyelography is performed on an outpatient basis and is usually done in the doctor's office or a surgical center. You may or may not require anesthesia. Cystoscopy is performed, and a small catheter is inserted into the opening of the ureter in the bladder. Dye is injected, and fluoroscopy (an imaging technique that takes a real time picture of the body) is performed to visualize the ureters and kidneys.