A possible use of color Doppler flow imaging in predicting the cause of bladder hypertrophy

The present study was designed to test the predictability of color Doppler flow imaging of the bladder in determining the cause of bladder hypertrophy. The blood flow in the anterior bladder wall was measured in 35 patients with an abnormally increased ultrasound estimated bladder weight (UEBW) of more than 35.0 g. Of these, 18 were diagnosed as having infravesical obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (obstructive group). The remaining 17 were diagnosed as having neurogenic bladder dysfunction (NB group). Scanning to detect blood flow was continued for 5 minutes, the bladder having been filled with 100 ml of saline. Blood flow was detected in 83.3% (15/18) of the obstructive group, compared to 23.5% (4/17) in the NB group (p < 0.001). Infravesical obstruction was detected with a diagnostic accuracy of 80.0% (28/35) by color Doppler flow imaging. Color Doppler flow imaging was useful in predicting the cause of bladder hypertrophy in patients with abnormally increased UEBW.