Sonographic urethrogram: comparison to roentgenographic techniques in 22 patients

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Imaging
• Diagnostic Techniques

Background:

• Anterior urethral stricture disease diagnosis traditionally relies on invasive methods.
• Limitations exist in current imaging techniques for evaluating urethral pathology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a novel sonographic technique for anterior urethra examination.
• To compare sonographic urethrograms with roentgenographic and cystoscopic findings.

Main Methods:

• A sonographic technique was developed and applied to 22 men with suspected stricture disease.
• Patients underwent sonographic urethrograms, roentgenographic urethrograms, and 17 had cystoscopic examinations.

Main Results:

• Sonographic urethrograms demonstrated diagnostic accuracy comparable to roentgenographic findings in 19 out of 22 patients.
• The technique successfully identified a bulbar urethral stricture missed by retrograde urethrogram in one patient.
• Extraluminal structures like the urethral wall, corpus spongiosum, and bulb were clearly visualized.

Conclusions:

• Sonographic urethrograms provide valuable insights into both luminal and extraluminal anterior urethral anatomy.
• This non-invasive method shows significant potential for diagnosing urethral stricture disease, foreign bodies, and straddle injuries.
• Further long-term studies are recommended to fully establish its diagnostic capabilities.