[Radio-urodynamic evaluation of stress urinary incontinence in women]

This work is aimed at demonstrating the validity of conventional radiological procedures, correlated with urodynamics, in the study of female urinary stress incontinence. In a study population of 110 patients with a clinical-urodynamic diagnosis of stress incontinence, radiological evaluation was performed by means of retrograde cystography, bead chain cystourethrography, and voiding cystourethrography. Radiographic findings were correlated with urodynamic data, and in particular with urethral pressure profile (functional length of the urethra, maximum closing pressure, maximum urethral pressure). In all patients the posterior urethro-vesical angle values were higher than 100 degrees; moreover, a correlation was proven to exist between an increase in the angle of front urethral inclination, the lowering and mobility of the urethrovesical junction, and the severity of urodynamic findings. Furthermore, in the different stages of urodynamic severity , urethral funneling was most frequent, and the flattening of the posterior vesical floor in voiding cystourethrography. The high reliability of the radiographic findings, although obtained by means of conventional techniques, and the variability of the morpho-dynamic results confirm the importance of a combined radiographic and urodynamic study in the evaluation of stress incontinence.