What are the components of a CT urogram?
Comprehensive upper tract imaging includes the following:
• Unenhanced axial CT of the kidneys—detection of calcification and baseline density measurement to determine enhancement of masses
• Enhanced CT of the abdomen and pelvis with corticomedullary phase (early enhancement of the cortical tissue) and nephrographic phase (delayed imaging to view opacification of the medullary pyramids before calyceal excretion) for detection of enhancement of kidney masses
• Excretory phase imaging of the abdomen and pelvis obtained with delayed imaging once contrast is in the collecting system essential for assessing subtle urothelial abnormalities including urothelial tumors; papillary necrosis; calyceal deformity; ureteral stricture; and inflammatory changes of the kidney collecting systems, ureters, and bladder
• CT images may be reviewed as two-dimensional and three-dimensional reformatted images
