Subcutaneous Urography

Subcutaneous Urography

Urography is a medical imaging procedure through which the patient’s kidneys and ureters are examined with the use of X-rays. Normally, the soft tissues composing the urinary tract will not appear clearly on an X-ray picture; in order to solve that problem, the process involves the intravenous injection of a special contrast dye in the patient’s circulatory system; the contrast dye will be filtered through the kidneys and will block the X-rays, allowing the specialized health care professionals to acquire accurate photographs of the patient’s excretory system. This procedure is also called an intravenous urography (IVU), or an intravenous pyelogram.

A Subcutaneous Urography procedure is employed in situations where the contrast dye cannot be administered intravenously – generally in the case of infants and small children, to allow the imaging of their kidneys and ureters as well. As with any normal IVU, the Subcutaneous Urography procedure is employed to investigate a number of medical conditions affecting the kidneys and the ureters, including kidney pain, the presence of blood in the urine, suspected obstruction or congenital abnormalities or the presence of kidney stones.

This imaging procedure also allows the specialized health care professionals to detect other affections; prostate inflammations can be observed, as well as lesions or cancers affecting the patient’s urinary tract. For instance, the presence of a tumor in the patient’s abdomen may cause a displacement of the kidneys causing their position to be abnormal in the pyelograms. Such situations demand further investigations to diagnose the problem and to determine the correct treatment.

In some cases, the visible symptoms may not provide sufficient information for the examining health care specialist to accurately place a diagnosis. For example, the presence of blood in the patient’s urine may be caused by several medical affections (tumors, lesions, inflammations or infections along the patient’s urinary tract). In such conditions, Subcutaneous Urography may allow the visual observation of the patient’s excretory system and may help rule out some of the possible causes.

Subcutaneous Urography Description

Prior to beginning the Subcutaneous Urography, the specialized health care professional will need to perform the required tests in order to ensure that the patient is not suffering from renal failure, and that his or her kidneys can filter the contrast dye; also, tests must be performed to determine whether or not the patient is allergic to contrast agents – in such cases the alternative options may need to be considered.

Contrast agents employed during Subcutaneous Urography may interact with certain drugs and medication; the physician will check if the patient is following a therapy course with any such medicines, and if possible, will interrupt the medication treatment a few days before the procedure is performed. In severe cases, the patient may be prescribed another, safer therapy course for the duration.

As opposite to IVUs, Subcutaneous Urography involves the subcutaneous administration of the contrast agents. Once these are filtered in the kidneys, the supervising health care professional will take a number of X-ray photographs of the patient’s urinary tract. The images will be examined closely in order to detect any abnormalities present, and a thorough assessment of the patient’s condition is made based on the information gathered during the procedure. In most cases, the cause of the patient’s symptoms will be easily detected; however, in some situations additional testing may be required before the examining health care professional can place the correct diagnosis.

Currently, Subcutaneous Urography is no longer employed on a regular basis due to the technologic advancement and to the development of new imaging techniques. Many of the kidney and urinary tract affections which could be detected through pyelography may now be diagnosed through magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound imaging or CT scans. However, as in some cases none of these techniques may be employed due to contraindications, to the equipment not being currently available or to a score of other reasons, urography remains one of the best methods of imaging and assessing the urinary tract.

Subcutaneous Urography Related Medication

Subcutaneous Urography relies heavily on the use of contrast agents in order to produce accurate images of the patient’s urinary tract. The contrast agents are substances which block the X-rays, allowing the health care professionals to record accurate pictures of the tissues they pass through. As this procedure is mainly designed for use in the case of small children and infants, not all the contrast dyes suitable for imaging an adult organism may be employed. The supervising health care professional will determine the appropriate contrast agent that will be used prior to the procedure.

Although the procedure is safe and in the vast majority of cases no side effects to contrast dye usage appear, there are still some risks that need to be considered before a Subcutaneous Urography procedure. Especially in the case of children and infants, the risk of developing side effects is higher than in adult patients. Some of these are mild and will go away in time – flushing and sensations of warmth, mild headaches and dizziness; however, it is possible for the patient to experience severe or persistent side effects, and emergency medical attention may be needed. Allergic reactions to the contrast dyes are possible, and in some cases, the hypersensitivity reactions may be severe. Acute renal failure may also occur as a side effect to administration of contrast dyes. However, the procedure may only be performed in a clinic or a hospital, where the patient may receive immediate medical attention.

Other side effects may occur as well, although they are not listed here. For this reason, it is best that you immediately contact your personal physician if you notice any unusual symptoms, or if the symptoms become persistent or bothersome. The supervising health care professional may decide whether or not additional medication needs to be administered prior to or during the Subcutaneous Urography procedure. In some situations, the use of prophylactic antibiotics may be required, in order to help prevent infections. In other cases, the physician may direct administration of weak sedatives to cause the patient to relax. The medication that needs to be employed as well as the exact dosages are determined on an individual basis.