VCUG is short for Voiding Cystourethrogram. That's a mouthful, but what is it? A VCUG is actually a special examination that uses X-rays to see how fluids, such as urine, move inside your body. Your doctor will use a VCUG to see how well your kidneys, bladder and urethra are working.

Your doctor may order a VCUG after you have had an infection called a UTI or urinary tract infection. A UTI gives you an uncomfortable burning or pinching feeling when urinating. Your doctor wants a picture of your urinary tract to be sure that all of the urine is going where it should, which is out of your body.

When you arrive at Oregon Imaging Centers for your VCUG, you and your parents will check in at reception. You’ll find televisions, magazines, puzzles and games in our waiting room. Just before your exam, you will change into special pajamas. When it’s time for your VCUG, you’ll meet the technologist, who will take your pictures with an X-ray machine. They will bring you and your mom or dad into a room with an examination table. You will see the X-ray machine’s camera next to the table.

The technologist will help you onto the examination table and ask you to lie on your back. Then, they will ask you imitate a frog’s legs by bending your knees and legs.

The technologist will put on gloves and wash the area where you urinate from to make sure that everything is very clean and free from germs. This might feel a little bit funny, since usually your mom or dad is the person who gives you a bath. But your parents will be right there with you, and it is OK for the technologist to clean this area.

Next, the technologist might put a blue cloth over your tummy. Then, the technologist will gently slide a thin, clear, flexible tube into the place where you urinate. The place where the tube is inserted is called the urethra. This might also feel funny, but if you take deep breaths and try to relax your body, the tube will slide right in. The technologist will tape the tube to your leg so it won’t fall out and will show you that the tube is connected to a glass bottle filled with clear liquid. This liquid will go into your bladder to help us see it better (the place where the urine collects in your body).

When your bladder is filling with this clear liquid, it might make you feel as if you have to go to the bathroom. When you feel as if you REALLY need to go to the bathroom, tell the technologist. They will need to take a few quick photos before you can go to the bathroom. As soon as they are done taking those photos, they will ask you to urinate right on the table while they take more pictures. Do not worry, this might be a very strange feeling, but everyone who has a VCUG does the same thing. It will be over in just a few minutes. The important thing to remember is to lie as still as possible. Just like when your mom or dad takes their picture with their camera; if you move around when the doctor is taking the photo, it will be too fuzzy.

**A reminder to moms who are pregnant or who might be pregnant: Please bring another adult with you to accompany your child during the procedure. We will ask that you watch the procedure from a shielded area to protect your unborn baby from X-rays. **