What is intravenous pyelography?
Intravenous pyelography (IVP), also known as intravenous urography (IVU), is a procedure to X-ray the urinary system. The urinary system includes the kidneys, the ureters tubes that connect the two kidneys to the bladder and the bladder itself. To make the kidneys and urinary system show up on the X-rays, an injection is given intravenously (into a vein) of a substance that the kidneys take up from the blood stream and pass into the urine. This substance, which is called contrast medium, shows up bright white on the X-ray. By taking several views over a short period, it is possible to check that both of the kidneys and the urinary system is functioning normally. What are the reasons for having intravenous pyelography IVP is usually performed to find out whether renal colic (pain in the back that radiates around the side into the groin) is being caused by renal stones. IVP can also be used to investigate the cause of infection in the urinary system, especially if this is recurrent. Some
