Children's Community Nursing Service, Richmond
About this procedure
A 'Flo and residual volumes scan' is a simple test that does not require any surgery or cuts.
The scan is done by a specialist nurse.
It is done to check how well your bladder is working. It measures your normal urine flow and the amount of urine left in your bladder after urinating, if any.
This test helps the consultant diagnose any urinary problems.
Alternatives to this procedure
There are no alternative tests or procedures. We would need to rely on observing your symptoms.
Side effects
There are no risks.
What anaesthetic is used
Anaesthetic is not needed.
On the day of the scan
This procedure requires a comfortably full bladder. Your bladder does not need to be so full that you are in danger of having an accident.
You must drink 2 pints of water (or dilute non-alcoholic liquids, such as squash) during the hour before your appointment.
If you are unable to travel with a full bladder, or you have a heart condition and you have been told not to drink a lot of water, come to the department an hour early. Then drink once you are here. There is a water fountain. This is to try and keep your bladder as full as possible.
Once you have a full bladder the test only takes a few moments to do.
What the scan involves
Once your bladder is comfortably full, the nurse will ask you to pass urine into a flowmeter, a special toilet that measures the flow of your urine.
We will then ask you to lie on a couch so that the nurse can scan your bladder area. This is to check to see if there is any urine left in the bladder. To do this, the nurse will put a small amount of scanning gel on your pubic line and pass the scanner gently over this area.
What happens afterwards
If your consultant has requested this test, you will usually have an appointment to discuss the results with them on the same day.
If your GP (family doctor) requested this test, we will give you a copy of the results to take back for them to review.
Who to contact
Contact details for our teams can be found below.
Contact information
Specialist Urology Nurse
020 8934 3547
Urodynamics Team
020 8934 3038
Clinical Nurse Specialist for Urology Oncology
020 8934 2729
Urology Consultants' secretaries
020 8934 6041