Post-void residual urine test for benign prostatic hyperplasia
The post-void residual (PVR) urine test measures the amount of urine left in the bladder after urination. The amount 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). However, the catheter method is safe when done carefully, and it may be less expensive than ultrasound.
It is not clear how the results of the PVR test can be used to predict outcomes in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
| Author: | Monica Rhodes | Last Updated: March 24, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Christopher G. Wood, MD, FACS - Urology/Oncology | |
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