Urosonography in spinal cord injury patients

Urosonography, ultrasound of the urinary tract, is a noninvasive imaging method used to evaluate renal masses, renal parenchymal disease, hydronephrosis, bladder volume and calculi. The applicability of ultrasound was studied in 54 spinal cord injury patients by correlating uroradiological examinations with ultrasound. Emphasis was placed on ultrasonic imaging of ureterectasis and vesicoureteral reflux. Ultrasound confirmed all positive radiographic findings of renal and bladder abnormalities (renal calculi, chronic pyelonephritis, trabeculated bladder and bladder calculi), and yielded additional information in 27 per cent of the kidney and 13 per cent of the bladder studies. Ultrasound was used to confirm vesicoureteral reflux in 56 per cent of the patients and ureterectasis in 33 per cent. It is recommended that spinal cord injury patients undergo a baseline excretory urogram followed by periodical ultrasound examinations to detect hydronephrosis, renal parenchymal disease, and renal and bladder calculi, and to measure bladder volume and residual urine. Whenever real-time equipment and experienced ultrasonologists are available ultrasound can be used as an alternate to voiding cystourethrography to detect vesicoureteral reflux.