Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2025

Ultrasonography of the Adult Male Urinary Tract for Urinary Functional Testing
Published on: August 14, 2019
Study of correlation between Visual Prostate Symptom Score and International Prostate Symptom Score in men with lower
Souvik Chatterjee1, Anshu Kumar1, Dilip Kumar Pal1
1Department of Urology, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (IPGME&R), Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
Purpose:
International prostate symptom score (IPSS) is a complex questionnaire method for objective assessment of Lower urinary tract symptoms. So, there is a need to develop a simple and easy scoring system that could be easily used for illiterates and older aged patients.
Materials And Methods:
It was a prospective observational study with 202 participants, conducted at the department of urology of a tertiary care hospital in eastern India. The patients more than 50 years of age, attending urology OPD with Lower urinary tract symptoms were included in the study. Printed IPSS and VPSS questionnaires were given to the patient to answer.
Results:
Eighty-two percent (82%) of the higher education group and 97% of the lower education group needed assistance to answer IPSS questionnaires while 18% of the higher education group and 44% of the lower education group needed assistance to answer VPSS questionnaires. Sixty-four (64%) of patients in our study belong to the high education level while 36% of patients belong to the low education group. The mean age was 60.1 years. The mean IPSS and VPSS were 19 and 11 respectively. The mean PSA was 1.5 ng/ml. The time taken to fill VPSS questionnaire was much less than IPSS questionnaires. All the patients felt that VPSS was easier. Statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) correlation was found between total IPSS and total VPSS, Q2 IPSS and Q1 VPSS, Q7 IPSS and Q2 VPSS, Q5 IPSS and Q3 VPSS, and IPSS Qol and VPSS Qol. A negative correlation was found between Q3 VPSS and Qmax, and Q5 IPSS and Qmax.
Conclusions:
VPSS can be used as an alternative tool to IPSS to assess LUTS, which uses pictograms instead of questionnaires, even in patients with limited education.
Related Concept Videos
Urodynamic Studies: Uroflowmetry
Imaging Studies VI: Voiding Cystourethrography and Cystography
Imaging Studies V: Intravenous Urography and Retrograde Pyelography
Disorders of the Male Reproductive System
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra....
Imaging Studies IV: Magnetic Resonance Imaging

