What is left of i.v. urography?

Since its introduction into clinical practice in the early 1930s, intraveno us urography (IVU) was the primary imaging technique for the investigation of urinary system disorders for many years, until the advent of digital cro ss-sectional-imaging techniques gradually started to undermine many of its indications. Intravenous urography has been superseded for some indications such as renovascular arterial hypertension, prostatic dysuria, renal failu re, palpable abdominal masses and recurrent urinary tract infection in wome n. Intravenous urography has been reduced, in the sense that it is no longe r a primary examination, for other clinical indications such as renal colic , renal trauma, uroseptic fever, asymptomatic haematuria, medical haematuri a, obstructive uropathies and follow-up of various disorders. Intravenous u rography is indicated and often mandatory in congenital anomalies of the ur inary tract, prior to endourological procedures, possible fistulas, renal t ransplantation, tuberculosis and ureteral pathology. In conclusion, IVU is still the examination of choice where there is a need to visualize the enti re urinary system and to evaluate the state of the papillae and calyces. Co mputed tomography urography and MR urography are the imaging modalities rea dy in the near future to replace IVU.