Radionuclide cystogram

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Cystography

Overview

Risks

Results

Radionuclide cystogram

Alternative Names:

Bladder scan

What the risks are:

Risks are the same as for x-rays (radiation) and catheterization of the bladder.

There is a small amount of radiation exposure with any nuclear scan (it comes from the radioisotope, not the scanner). The radiation is very mild, and virtually all radiation is gone in a short time. However, any radiation exposure is discouraged for women who are or might be pregnant.

Risks for catheterization include a risk for causing a urinary tract infection and the risk (rare) of damage to the urethra, bladder, or other nearby structures.

Special considerations:

This test is very useful to provide information about how the bladder responds to pressure, without exposure to radiographic contrast materials.

Review Date: 8/3/2005
Reviewed By: Jonathan Gross, M.D., Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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