A ureteral jet is the visible spurt of urine flowing from the ureteral orifice into the urinary bladder, detectable on color Doppler ultrasound as a brief flash of color within the bladder. Ureteral jets are observed by placing the Doppler sample over the trigone area of the bladder where the ureters insert. Normal ureteral jets should be seen from both sides, typically occurring at intermittent intervals. The presence of bilateral ureteral jets confirms that both ureters are patent (open) and that urine is flowing from both kidneys. Absent or diminished jets on one side may suggest ureteral obstruction on that side, though the absence of a jet at a single time point is not definitive and may require continued observation. Ureteral jet assessment is a helpful supplementary technique when evaluating for urinary obstruction.
Sonography Term