A Novel Mobile Acoustic Uroflowmetry: Comparison With Contemporary Uroflowmetry

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Devices
• Acoustic Technology

Background:

• Conventional uroflowmetry is a standard diagnostic tool in urology.
• There is a need for accessible and cost-effective uroflowmetry methods.
• Smartphone-based solutions offer potential for remote patient monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate a novel smartphone-based acoustic uroflowmetry system.
• To compare its accuracy and reliability against conventional uroflowmetry.
• To assess its potential for clinical and at-home use.

Main Methods:

• Prospective validation study involving 128 subjects.
• Comparison of acoustic uroflowmetry with conventional uroflowmetry.
• Analysis of flow patterns, maximum flow rate (Qmax), average flow rate (Qavg), and voided volume using Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) and Student t-test.

Main Results:

• Strong visual correlation of flow patterns between the two methods.
• High PCC values for Qmax, Qavg, and voided volume in both male (0.88-0.95) and female (0.78-0.96) participants.
• Statistically significant but small differences in Qmax between the methods.

Conclusions:

• Smartphone-based acoustic uroflowmetry shows comparable results to conventional methods.
• This technology presents a reliable and inexpensive option for uroflowmetry.
• Further large-scale studies are recommended for broader validation.