Before having an intravenous pyelogram
(IVP), tell your doctor if:
- You are or might be pregnant.
- You are breast-feeding. The contrast material used in this test can get into your breast milk. Do not breast-feed your baby for 2 days after this test. During this time, you can give your baby breast milk you stored before the test, or formula. Discard the breast milk you pump for 2 days after the test.
intrauterine device (IUD) in place.
are allergic to the iodine dye used as the contrast material for X-ray tests or
to anything else that contains iodine.
- You have ever had a serious
allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), such as after being
stung by a bee or from eating shellfish.
- Within the past 4 days,
you have had an X-ray test using barium contrast material (such as a
barium enema) or have taken a medicine (such as
Pepto-Bismol) that contains bismuth.
- You have had kidney problems
in the past or have
diabetes, especially if you take metformin
(Glucophage) to control your diabetes. The contrast material used during an IVP
can cause kidney damage in people who have poor kidney function. If you have
had kidney problems in the past, blood tests (creatinine, blood urea nitrogen)
may be done before the test to make sure that your kidneys are working
You may need to stop eating and drinking for 8 to 12 hours
before the IVP. You also may need to take a laxative the evening before the test
(and possibly have an enema the morning of the test) to make sure that your
bowels are empty.
This test is often done in children to see if they may have an abnormal backflow of urine (vesicoureteral reflux). Prepare your child for exams and tests that are needed. Doing so will help your child understand what to expect and can help reduce fears.
Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding
the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will
mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the
medical test information form(What is a PDF document?).