Benefits and Risks – Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP)

Benefits

  • Imaging of the urinary tract with IVP is a minimally invasive procedure.
  • IVP images provide valuable, detailed information to assist physicians in diagnosing and treating urinary tract conditions from kidney stones to cancer.
  • An IVP can often provide enough information about kidney stones and urinary tract obstructions to direct treatment with medication and avoid more invasive surgical procedures.
  • No radiation remains in a patient's body after an x-ray examination.
  • X-rays usually have no side effects in the typical diagnostic range for this exam.

Risks

  • There is always a slight chance of cancer from excessive exposure to radiation. However, the benefit of an accurate diagnosis far outweighs the risk.
  • The effective radiation dose for this procedure varies.
  • Contrast materials used in IVP studies can cause adverse allergic reactions in some people, sometimes requiring medical treatment.
  • Women should always inform their physician or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant.

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