Kidney ureters and bladder (KUB) and Post-void residual (PVR) Ultrasound

There is no contraindication to perform a KUB and PVR ultrasound scan.

Your healthcare practitioner may order an ultrasound KUB with PVR under the following conditions:

• To assess the shape, size and location of KUB
• To assist in the placement of needles during a biopsy 
• To check the kidneys after transplantation
• To evaluate the size of the prostate gland (a small reproductive gland that surrounds the urethra, the tube that passes urine out of the body) in men

It may also be done if you show symptoms such as: 

• Inability to delay the intense urge to urinate 
• Unintentional urination during activities like coughing, sneezing or laughing 
• Urination during sex, especially when you have an orgasm 
• Frequent urination, especially during the night
• Small trickles of urine frequently 
• Feeling of never having an empty bladder or inability to empty it even if you try 
• Slow stream of urine while urinating
• Strain while urinating 
• Passing a few drops of urine once you are done with urinating 
• Stopping in between while you pass urine

Your doctor will give you a consent form to sign for the test. By signing the document, you will be providing permission to conduct this procedure. 

Normally, no fasting or sedation is necessary for this test. Your doctor will ask you to drink plenty of water before the test. Do not urinate or empty your bladder before the test. 

The following steps are performed for this test:

• The healthcare practitioner will ask you to lie down on a scanning table. 
• He/she will place a clear gel on your abdominal area and will glide a handheld probe over it.
• The probe will pass and collect sound waves from your abdomen and you will be able to see the concerned area on a computer screen in real-time.
• After obtaining enough images, the healthcare practitioner will ask you to empty your bladder and will again take images of an empty bladder to check for your PVR values.

An ultrasound scan for KUB takes 10-20 minutes

Ultrasound for KUB is a painless test. However, you may feel uncomfortable to lie down still for the procedure. The gel may feel cold and wet.

Based on the other tests and your symptoms, your doctor may be able to diagnose some of the following conditions:

• Kidney stone 
• Ectopic ureter (a condition in which ureters end at a different place, usually urethra, rather than the bladder)
• Hydronephrosis (swelling of kidneys)
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate gland)
• Neurogenic bladder (lack of control over the bladder due to a nerve problem)
• Fowler syndrome (inability to relax the bladder sphincter)
• Stones (calculi) in ureter and bladder
• Blood clots 
• Prostate cancer 
• Spinal cord injury 
• Vesicoureteral reflux (rapid refilling of the bladder after urination)

The benefits of doing an ultrasound test are as follows:

• It is a non-invasive imaging test. 
• No radiations are involved; hence, it is safe during pregnancy. 
• There is no use of contrast dye; therefore, it can be used in people with allergies to contrast dye.

You can continue with your everyday routine and normal diet after the test.

A biopsy may be performed along with ultrasound for KUB.

Disclaimer: All results must be clinically correlated with the patient’s complaints to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. The above information is provided from a purely educational point of view and is in no way a substitute for medical advice by a qualified doctor.