Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) is an X-ray of the kidney following injection of dye into the vein to visualize the renal pelvis as the kidney filters dye out of the bloodstream and puts it into urine.

• A. The ureter
• B. The bladder
• C. The renal pelvis
• D. The renal cortex

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that an intravenous pyelogram highlights the kidney’s excretory or collecting system by injecting contrast that is filtered by the kidneys and then excreted into urine. As the contrast moves through the collecting ducts, it fills the calyces and the renal pelvis, making these structures visible on X-ray. The renal pelvis is the funnel-like area where urine collected from the calyces collects before entering the ureter, so it’s the structure most clearly outlined in this scenario. The renal cortex isn’t the primary structure seen with this test because the contrast primarily outlines the collecting system rather than the cortex, and while the ureters and bladder may be visualized as the contrast travels downstream, the description centers on the renal pelvis.