Bladder neck position differences on CT in patients with incidental asymptomatic urinary bladder gas: A comparative...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Urology
• Anatomy

Background:

• Incidental asymptomatic urinary bladder gas is occasionally detected on computed tomography (CT) scans.
• The etiology of bladder gas in asymptomatic individuals remains poorly understood.
• Potential contributing factors, including anatomical variations, warrant investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the association between bladder neck position and the occurrence of incidental bladder gas on CT scans in female patients.
• To determine if a specific bladder neck position correlates with the presence of asymptomatic bladder gas.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of CT scan reports from 2012 to 2023 was conducted.
• Patients with incidental bladder gas were identified and compared to age- and sex-matched controls without bladder gas.
• The distance between the bladder neck and the pubococcygeal line (B-PCL) was measured to assess bladder neck position.

Main Results:

• Out of 1322 patients, 66 met the inclusion criteria; the majority were female.
• Female patients with bladder gas exhibited a significantly shorter median B-PCL distance (5.3 mm) compared to controls (9.3 mm) (p=0.002).
• High inter- and intra-reader agreement (ICC > 0.95) confirmed the reliability of B-PCL measurements.

Conclusions:

• A lower bladder neck position, indicated by a shorter B-PCL distance, is correlated with the presence of incidental bladder gas on CT scans in women.
• This anatomical correlation may suggest that a descended bladder position could predispose to gas accumulation.
• Further research may elucidate the clinical significance and diagnostic implications of this association.