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Post-Void Residual Urine Test

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Topic Overview

The post-void residual (PVR) urine test measures the amount of urine left in the bladder after urination.

The test is used to help evaluate:

The amount of leftover (residual) urine can be measured by draining the bladder with a thin flexible tube (catheter) or by using ultrasound. The catheter method has a slight risk of causing infection or injury to the tube leading from the bladder (urethra). But the catheter method is safe when done carefully. And it may be less expensive than ultrasound.

Credits

ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer J. Curtis Nickel, MD, FRCSC - Urology

Current as ofDecember 3, 2017

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