 Whitaker Test
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A Whitaker test is an invasive procedure performed in the Radiology Department which measures the pressures in the kidney and in the bladder to determine whether or not a significant obstruction (blockage) of the urinary system exists.
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Whitaker tests are performed by pediatric interventional radiologists with specialized training in invasive procedures. Children's Hospital Boston is equipped with appropriate modern imaging equipment and is staffed by pediatric anesthesiologists, radiology technologists, and nurses who are trained and experienced in the care of patients undergoing such procedures.
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A Whitaker test is recommended for selected patients who have dilatation (enlargement) of the renal collecting system but in whom it is not clear if the enlargement is caused by obstruction or blockage. A Whitaker test provides objective information regarding the severity of the obstruction or blockage and helps your physician decide whether surgury is required.
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When performed by appropriately trained and experienced interventional radiologists, the Whitaker test is a safe procedure. As with all invasive procedures, complications and side effects can occur. These will be explained to you in detail before you give consent for the test. Some discomfort can be associated with this technique, so patients may be given sedation medication if necessary.
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You will be given specific instructions prior to the procedure. The patient must eat no solid food for eight hours prior to the procedure, and must stop drinking clear fluids three hours before the procedure.
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The Whitaker test is performed in a diagnostic suite in the Radiology Department. The patient is asked to lie down on an x-ray examination table and is given medication to make him/her more relaxed (a sedative). Once the patient is comfortable, his/her bottom is cleaned and a small soft catheter tube is guided into the bladder. The patient will then be positioned prone (on the stomach) and the kidneys are examined with an ultrasound probe. The skin on the patient's back is then cleaned with a special iodine solution and sterile drapes are placed over the patient to prevent infection. A local anesthetic (numbing medicine) is injected into the skin and the interventional radiologist passes a thin needle into the kidney, using the ultrasound images for guidance. The radiologist uses the needle to deliver fluid into the kidney at a specific rate. Pressures are measured through the needle in the kidney and the catheter in the bladder. At the end of the procedure, the needle and catheter are removed and a small bandage is applied over the spot where the needle was inserted.
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The technique is designed to detect mild degrees of obstruction or blockage of the renal collecting system (the structure which drains the urine between the kidney and the bladder). While the pressure inside the kidney may not be elevated at times when relatively small amounts of urine are passing through the kidney, the infusion of larger amounts of fluid may exceed the rate at which the fluid can pass through the blockage, thus resulting in elevation in pressure.
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The results of the Whitaker test must be considered in conjunction with the results of other x-ray tests. Therefore, the results will be given to your referring physician who will discuss the final interpretation of the results with you.
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Further information can be obtained by calling Children's Interventional Radiology Office at 617-355-6579. The appropriate person will return your call.
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