Ectopic Ureter: Spectrum of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings

This study aims to describe the MRI findings of six patients with ectopic ureters in a tertiary care institute.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on six patients presenting to the Department of Radiodiagnosis at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, Jaipur, India, with ectopic ureters. Data were collected from the 3 Tesla (3T) Philips MRI scanner (Koninklijke Philips N.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands) from 2021 to 2023.

The mean age was 21.6 years, with an equal male-to-female ratio (1:1). Most patients presented with urinary incontinence (50%, n = 3), followed by abdominal pain. Only 16.6% (n = 1) were associated with a duplex collecting system. In males, the most common site was the seminal vesicle, observed in 66.6% (n = 2), followed by the urethra in 33.4% (n = 1) of cases. One patient with an ectopic opening into the seminal vesicle had Zinner syndrome. In females, the ectopic site was found to be the vagina in all three patients.

Ectopic ureter is a rare anomaly of the urinary system, often associated with other urinary system anomalies and a few syndromes. Clinical presentations range from the patient being asymptomatic to renal failure; therefore, a high index of suspicion and appropriate imaging are necessary for early diagnosis and timely treatment.