Kidney, Ureter and Bladder (KUB) Ultrasound in London
A focused renal ultrasound following the whole urinary tract — both kidneys, the path of the ureters, and the bladder assessed before and after emptying, so “I do not feel like I empty properly” becomes a number your GP can act on.
- Both kidneys, ureteric path and bladder assessed
- Post-void residual measured — the examination’s quiet superpower
- 30-minute unhurried appointment — most clinics allow 20
- Findings explained at the scan; written report usually within two hours
- No GP referral required — self-refer today
CQC-registered clinic · Provider ID 1-2775844974 · HCPC-registered sonographers
What is a KUB ultrasound?
A focused ultrasound examination following the urinary tract from top to bottom: both kidneys assessed from your back and sides, the path of the ureters checked for signs of obstruction, and the bladder examined from the lower abdomen — first comfortably full, then again after you empty it. No radiation, no injection, no preparation beyond the water you drink beforehand.
Why might I need a kidney and bladder ultrasound?
The usual reasons: flank or loin pain suggesting kidney stones, blood in the urine whether visible or found on a dipstick, recurrent urinary tract infections, difficulty emptying the bladder or a weak stream, raised creatinine or other abnormal kidney blood tests, or known cysts and stones that need periodic measurement.
A urinary-tract scan answers the structural questions: is anything blocking, growing, or failing to empty? Further reading: flank pain — kidney stones or something else and urological conditions on ultrasound.
Complete inability to pass urine, severe loin pain with fever or vomiting, or heavy visible bleeding are same-day emergencies for A&E or NHS 111, not scan bookings.
- Flank or loin pain
- Blood in the urine
- Recurrent UTIs
- Weak stream or hesitancy
- Abnormal kidney bloods
- Stones and hydronephrosis
- Renal cysts
- Kidney size and cortex
- Bladder wall and contents
- Post-void residual
Is this scan suitable for me?
A KUB ultrasound is the right booking if any of these sound like you:
- ✓Loin or flank pain that comes in waves, or a history of stones
- ✓Blood in your urine — visible, or picked up on a dipstick
- ✓Recurrent urinary infections, or a stream that has weakened
- ✓Abnormal kidney blood tests that need a picture to explain them
And when it is not the right booking
You cannot pass urine at all, or have severe loin pain with fever — that is a same-day emergency, not a scan appointment.
Your symptoms point at the bowel — gas blocks the ultrasound view there. We will say so before you book rather than take the fee and disappoint you.
If a different examination fits your symptoms better, we will tell you before you book.
How do I prepare, and what happens at the scan?
Arrive with a comfortably full bladder — finish drinking water about an hour before and do not empty it. The full guidance is in our preparation guide.
- 1
Kidneys firstAssessed from your back and sides, measuring size and looking at the cortex, cysts, stones and any swelling of the drainage system.
- 2
The ureteric pathFollowed for signs of obstruction, since it is the blockage rather than the stone itself that usually causes the trouble.
- 3
Bladder, fullWall thickness, contents, diverticula and any visible masses assessed while the acoustic window is at its best.
- 4
Bladder, after emptyingA quick re-check measures exactly how much urine remains — the post-void residual that turns a symptom into a number.
Why the full bladder genuinely matters
This is the one examination where your preparation directly determines whether the answer is definitive.
Ultrasound needs a window
Sound travels beautifully through fluid and terribly through gas. A full bladder is a clear acoustic window onto its own wall and everything behind it; an empty one leaves nothing to see through.
The residual is the insight
Measuring what remains after you empty converts a vague complaint into an objective figure — the single most actionable number this scan produces for a GP or urologist.
When stones hide
Ultrasound shows most stones and, crucially, the obstruction they cause. Very small ureteric stones can evade it — and where the picture and your symptoms disagree, the report says so and names CT KUB as the definitive test.
Understanding your results and next steps
Findings are explained on screen as we go, and the written report follows usually within two hours — with clear next steps if anything needs acting on, per our follow-up pathways.
Need the upper abdomen too?
If your symptoms wander between the kidneys and the liver or gallbladder, the combined abdominal and urinary examination at £189 covers both systems in one appointment.
One preparation, one visit, one integrated report — rather than a clear KUB that ends with being told to book another scan.
Turn symptoms into measurements — short-notice appointments often available.
Why patients choose IUS London for this
The measurement that changes the conversation with your GP.
The residual, always measured
Not every clinic re-scans after voiding. We do, because it is the number that makes the report actionable.
We adapt rather than waste your visit
Arrived with an empty bladder? Water and a short wait beats a compromised scan or a wasted trip.
Honest about the limits
Where a small ureteric stone could be hiding, the report says so and names CT KUB rather than implying certainty we do not have.
Explained as we scan
The screen faces you and each structure is named as it is assessed.
Why do patients choose IUS London?
Rated 4.9 across 262 Google reviews:
“Yianni was very helpful, knowledgeable and put me very much at ease. I will be going back and very much recommend.”
— Google review
“The staff were professional and made me feel comfortable. Highly recommend it!”
— Google review
“Amazing service. If you are looking for a clinic … this is the place to go.”
— Google review
KUB ultrasound — your questions answered
Does a KUB ultrasound show kidney stones?
What does it cost?
Is it uncomfortable with a full bladder?
Can it check my prostate?
What if I arrive with an empty bladder?
Do I need a referral?
Other general ultrasound scans we offer
Abdominal & Urinary Tract
Liver, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen assessed alongside the full urinary tract — two systems, one visit.
View service →
Lumps and Bumps Scan
A lump you can feel but cannot name — cyst, lipoma, lymph node or something needing more.
View service →
Hernia Ultrasound
The is-it-a-hernia question settled dynamically — standing, coughing, caught in the act.
View service →
Further reading: flank pain — kidney stones or something else · which scan do I need?
Where can you get a kidney ultrasound in London?
At IUS London — our CQC-registered clinic in Kensington, two minutes on foot from Notting Hill Gate station (Central, Circle and District lines).
5a Lucerne Mews, Kensington, London W8 4ED
30-minute appointments — short notice welcome
0203 051 6506 · Directions & parking
Getting here is the easy part
By tube: Notting Hill Gate — two minutes on foot.
By bus: Routes along Notting Hill Gate and Kensington Church Street stop nearby.
By car: On-street parking nearby — full options in directions & parking.
Turn symptoms into measurements
Kidneys, ureters and bladder — assessed, measured, explained. Self-refer today, no GP letter required.
Kensington, London W8 4ED
2 mins from Notting Hill Gate
Written and clinically reviewed by the HCPC-registered sonographers who perform this scan at IUS London — a CQC-registered diagnostic ultrasound clinic (Provider ID 1-2775844974). Your own findings are explained to you at the scan and set out in your report.
Author: Yianni Kiromitis, Senior Sonographer, HCPC RA38415
Medically reviewed: 26 July 2026