Last updated: 02/17/2009

Ureterostomy patients may have the following tests and procedures as part of their diagnostic work-up:

• Renal function tests; blood, urea, nitrogen (BUN); and creatinine.
• Blood tests, complete blood count (CBC) and electrolytes.
• Imaging...
  
  studies of the ureters and renal pelvis. These studies characterize the ureters, and define the surgery required to obtain adequate ureteral length.

The quality, character, and usable length of the ureters is usually assessed using any of the following tests:

• Intravenous pyelogram (IVP). A special diagnostic test that follows the time course of excretion of a contrast dye through the kidneys, ureters, and bladder after it is injected into a vein.
• Retrograde pyelogram (RPG). x ray study of the kidney, focusing on the urine-collecting region of the kidney and ureters.
• Antegrade nephrostogram.
• CT scan. A special imaging technique that uses a computer to collect multiple x ray images into a two-dimentional cross-sectional image.
• MRI with intravenous gadolinium. A special technique used to image internal stuctures of the body, particularly the soft tissues. An MRI image is often superior to a routine x ray image.

The pre-surgery evaluation also includes an assessment of overall patient stability. The surgery may take from two to six hours, depending on the health of the ureters, and the experience of the surgeon.