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Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
A Guide To Having a
Micturating Cystogram
Department of Radiology

This booklet is to help explain about having an Micturating
Cystogram (MCU), also known as a bladder X-ray.
The Doctors involved in your child’s care have requested this
examination as the most appropriate test to help diagnose
your child’s problem.
We hope you find this leaflet helpful in explaining the
procedure. If you have any questions regarding the MCU
X-ray, please ring the department and speak to a member
of staff before your appointment, or feel free to ask on
the day.
What Is An MCU/Bladder X-ray?
An MCU is a special X-ray test to show the bladder and
how it works.
What Should Be Done Before The Test?
There are no special instructions to follow, although your
child can bring a video to watch or a book to read whilst
the X-ray is taking place.
How Long Will The Test Take?
The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes, although
this can vary slightly.
Can I Be With My Child During The Test?
You are more than welcome to be with your child
throughout the test, unless you are pregnant.
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What Happens During The Test?
1. To begin with you will be asked to undress your child and
they may be asked to put on a gown. This is to make sure
that no buttons or zips from their clothes show on the
X-ray pictures.
2. Your child will need to lie on the X-ray bed throughout
the test. Over the bed is an X-ray camera.
3. To make sure that your child’s bladder shows up on the
X-ray pictures we will need to put some X-ray dye into
their bladder.
4. To get this dye into the bladder, a small, soft tube
needs to be put into the hole where your child passes
urine (wee) from.
This may be a little uncomfortable, but to help we use
a numbing gel.
5. Once the tube is in place we will start to fill the
bladder with dye and X-ray pictures will be taken
as the bladder fills.
6. When your child’s bladder is full they will need to pass
urine. At this stage the tube will gently be removed
and some final X-ray pictures will be taken. This is
done to look at how the bladder is working.
The test is now completed. Your child can get dressed and
can eat and drink as normal.
When Will The Results Be Ready?
All the X-rays are looked at by the Radiologist (a Doctor
who reports X-rays). They will send the results to the Doctor
who arranged the test for you. Your Doctor will explain the
results to you when you attend for your next appointment
with them, or may alternatively write to you.
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Risks and Benefits
Everyone is exposed to ionising radiation (for example from
gamma rays from space, air travel, natural radiation from the
ground) all the time. This is one of the causes of cancer and
other illnesses. This test will give your child a small extra
dose of ionising radiation. Your Doctors have taken this into
account when asking your child to have this test, and
believe that this the best test for you or your child.
Girls of 12 years and over will be asked to tell us the first
day of their last menstrual period so that we can avoid giving
radiation to an unborn baby unless it is absolutely necessary
for the test to work. This is because the risk is slightly greater
for unborn children.
You can get more information about the risks and benefits of X-
rays from www.nhs.uk or www.hpa.org.uk. Go to the
homepages and search for ‘X-rays’.
Questions
We understand that there may be questions or queries
that either you or your child would like to be answered,
and sometimes you may forget what you want to ask.
The space below has been designed for you to write
down any questions or queries that you may have.
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No Smoking Policy
The NHS has a responsibility for the nation’s health.
Protect yourself, patients, visitors and staff by adhering to our
no smoking policy. Smoking is not permitted within any of our
hospital buildings or grounds.
The Manchester Stop Smoking Service can be contacted on
Tel: 0161 205 5998 (www.stopsmokingmanchester.co.uk).
Translation and Interpretation Service
Do you have difficulty speaking or understanding English?
☎ 0161 276 6202/6342
Department of Radiology
Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
Oxford Road,
Manchester
M13 9WL
Tel: 0161 701 4000
Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 5.00 pm
www.cmft.nhs.uk
© Copyright to Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
TIG 21/10 (SF Taylor CM2578)
Produced January 2006 Updated January 2010 Review Date January 2012