Risks continued...

After the test, you may need to urinate frequently, with some burning during and after urination for a day or two (especially if carbon dioxide gas was used). Drink lots of fluids to help minimize the burning and to prevent a urinary tract infection.

A pinkish tinge to the urine is common for several days after a cystourethrogram. But call your doctor immediately if:

• Your urine remains red or you see blood clots after you have urinated several times.
• You have not been able to urinate 8 hours after the test.
• You have a fever, chills, or severe pain in your flank or abdomen. These may be signs of a kidney infection.
• You have symptoms of a urinary tract infection. These symptoms include:
  • Pain or burning upon urination.
  • An urge to urinate frequently, but usually passing only small quantities of urine.
  • Dribbling or leakage of urine.
  • Urine that is reddish or pinkish, foul-smelling, or cloudy.
  • Pain or a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen.

Results

A cystourethrogram is an X-ray test that takes pictures of your bladder and urethra while you are urinating. Some results may be available immediately after the cystourethrogram. Final results are usually available within 1 to 2 days.

What Affects the Test

Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:

• Having barium (from a previous barium enema test), gas, or stool in the bowel.
• Being unable to urinate on command because of embarrassment at having to urinate in front of other people.
• Pain caused by having the catheter in the urethra. This may also cause problems with your urinary stream. You may have a muscle spasm or not be able to fully relax the muscles that control your bladder.

A cystourethrogram is not usually done during pregnancy because the X-rays could harm an unborn baby.

What To Think About

Other tests that use X-rays and contrast material to look for problems in the kidney, bladder, and urethra include:

• Retrograde urethrogram. This test is sometimes used to check for problems with a man's urethra. A small quantity of contrast material is injected into the urethra through a catheter. X-rays are then taken. This test can help find tears, scar tissue, prostate narrowing, tumors, or malformations of the urethra.
• Whitaker test. Also called a pressure/flow study, this test combines X-rays with measurements of pressure and flow in the kidneys and ureters. It is used to find the cause of blockage of the kidneys.
• Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) IVP is commonly done to diagnose certain diseases of the urinary tract (such as kidney stones, tumors, or infection) and detect abnormalities of the urinary tract that were present from birth (congenital). It can show the size, shape, and position of the kidneys, the bladder, the ureters, and the urethra, and it can evaluate the collecting system inside the kidneys. For more information, see the topic Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP).