Patients with advanced kidney failure often require dialysis. Venography is a specialized x-ray imaging test that provides details of the veins that can’t be seen via traditional x-ray. To see fine details within the veins, your MIT radiologist will inject an iodine-based contrast dye that your body will safely eliminate on its own.

Patients needing hemodialysis, a form of dialysis where blood is circulated through a special cleansing machine before it is re-circulated back into the body, will require placement of a hemodialysis catheter, which will run from a vein at the base of the neck to a hemodialysis machine. Your MIT radiologist will use venography to configure the perfect placement of the catheter and secure it against the skin so that it can remain in place for weeks or months without being in your way or causing discomfort. The expert MIT staff will also instruct you on proper care of your catheter and remove and replace it as necessary.