Portable ultrasonography and bladder volume accuracy--a comparative study using three-dimensional ultrasonography.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Diagnostic Ultrasound
• Urology

Background:

• Accurate bladder volume measurement is crucial for clinical decision-making.
• Portable bladder scanners offer convenience but vary in accuracy.
• Three-dimensional ultrasound (3D-US) presents an alternative for volumetric assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the accuracy and agreement of bladder volume measurements between two portable bladder scanners (Bladderscan and Bardscan) and a 3D-US system.
• To evaluate the reliability of these devices in healthy volunteers.

Main Methods:

• Fifty healthy volunteers underwent sequential scanning with Bladderscan BVI 3000, Bardscan, and 3D-US (HDI 4000).
• Ultrasound-derived bladder volumes were compared against actual voided volumes.
• Subjects with measurable post-void residual volumes were excluded from analysis.

Main Results:

• All three methods showed significant correlation (r=0.97-0.99) between voided and ultrasound volumes.
• Bladderscan and 3D-US showed no significant difference from voided volumes.
• Bardscan significantly underestimated voided volume by a mean of 21.4 mL.
• Bland-Altman limits of agreement were narrowest for 3D-US (-28.9 to 40.0 mL).

Conclusions:

• The three-dimensional ultrasound (3D-US) system offers the greatest accuracy and clinical agreement for bladder volume calculation.
• While portable, the Bardscan is less accurate than Bladderscan and underestimates bladder volume.
• Bladderscan and 3D-US provide reliable bladder volume estimations.