Why do I need a retrograde pyelography test?

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.

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.