MCU ( Micturating Cystourethrogram)

New term for me & LGG.. But we learnt as it is now part of the vocab to be familiarised for bb's condition..

Gotten this from a abstract from internet:

MCU is a pne of the most commonly performed fluoroscopic onvestigations in any pediatric radiology department. It is the essentila and a primary tool for diagnosis and evaluation of infants and young children with many genitourinary disorders.

The MCU demonstrates anatomy of both the bladder and urethra and the presence or absense of vesicouretral reflux (VUR). it also provides information about the fucntion and co-ordination of the bladder and urethral sphincter. The MCU is indicated in the investigation of patients with wide variety of clinical conditions including UTI

Method:
Prior to starting this procedure, it shoudl eb ensured that the child should has received the appropriate dose of antibiotic. The procedure should not be performed if the child has active UTI. The procedure should be performed under fluoroscopic guidance with the child awake. The nurse will lay the child on the fluoroscopic table and the parent is asked to stand at the top of the table and hold the child's hand. Urethral catheterization should be done on the table using strict aseptic technique, after proper cleaning if the interlabial area. the gel is applied to the tib of the catheter in all children .

the catheter is not advanced any further than 1-2cm, the nurse will fill the bladder with dye awhile the catheter is still in. VUR can be detected if any. detecting the grade of reflux is of vital importance to plan appropriate treatment. The fluoroscopy should be kept to minimum and low-dose technique whenever possible. The gonodal radiation dose received by children undergoing MCU can be as high as 309mRad in boys and 1,900mRad in girls. The risk of developing leukemia at this radiation does is calculated at 7-9 cases per 10 million children examined. With recent advances in fluroscopy, dose reduction can be easily achieved without any perceived loss of eiamge quality.


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So the risk of doing MCU is there.. but like the doc said, MUST do means must do.. this is the only way to find out more about the severity of bb's condition for further treatment.

We did the MCU yesterday, she did not cry when the doctore inserted the catheter and fill her bladder with the dye. But she cried so hard when she was strapped down and turned about to get the right image .. anyway, the whole process takes around 30 minutes..

now, we shall wait for the report to be out in a week's time. Finger cross she will be fine or at least in a lower grade which is easier to be treated.