What is an IVP and renal check?

Question

how do they obtain and IVP and renal check?

BTW- This is what I need to have done by a MEPS doctor for the Air force.

I had hydronephrosis.

Answer 1

Hello,

I've had two IVP/Renal checks.  It is to check your kidney function.  If your doc recommends - don't wait.  I was scared at first - but it's not that bad -just the dye they inject is uncomfortable.

This is from the Quest Diagnostics website:

Quest Diagnostics is the nation's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, performing more than 500,000 laboratory tests each day.

Be sure to contact your physician to learn more about health related testing and to obtain a doctor's order prior to scheduling a diagnostic test.

Patient Health Library Home

IVP (Intravenous Pyelography)

Test Overview

An intravenous pyelogram (IVP) is an X-ray test that provides pictures of the kidneys, the bladder, the ureters, and the urethra (urinary tract ). An IVP can show the size, shape, and position of the urinary tract, and it can evaluate the collecting system inside the kidneys.

During IVP, a dye called contrast material is injected into a vein in your arm. A series of X-ray pictures is then taken at timed intervals.

IVP is commonly done to identify diseases of the urinary tract, such as kidney stones, tumors, or infection. See an illustration of an IVP showing a kidney stone . It is also used to look for problems with the structure of the urinary tract that were present from birth (congenital).

An ultrasound or a computed tomography (CT) scan may be done instead of an IVP if more details about the urinary tract are needed.

If you need this test - the night before isn't very pleasant - but make sure you aren't allergic to any kind of shell fish.  If you are - MAKE SURE THEY KNOW IN ADVANCE so you don't have an allergic reaction.

good luck!  It's not that bad.

Answer 2

nothing to worry about at all.  I have hydronephrosis too.  Basically a dye is injected into your arm, sometimes it can have a slightly warm feeling but not very often.  the radiographer/radiologist will then take a series of timed x-rays (in exactly the same way as a normal x-ray for broken bones).  this will show up the "dye" travelling through the kidneys, ureters and into the bladder.  this will give the doctor an idea of whether there is some kind of obstruction or swelling/inflammation causing the hydronephrosis (and if you have had it in the past if it has subsided).  If they do find anything wrong you may then be asked to go for a MEG3 (or radioactive dye test), this one is a bit longer and BASICALLY uses a radioactive dye and CT machine to do the same test as the IVP, only this time it gives a better detailed picture of what is causing the blockage or where inflammation lies.  Hope this helps, neither are anything to worry about!