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Is real-time ultrasonic bladder volume estimation reliable and valid? A systematic overview
C R Nwosu1, K S Khan, P F Chien
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Tayside, Scotland.
Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology
|November 24, 1998
Summary
Real-time ultrasonic bladder volume estimation shows high reliability and validity. However, study design flaws raise questions about the reported accuracy of this common diagnostic tool.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Diagnostic Ultrasound
- Urology
Background:
- Accurate bladder volume measurement is crucial for clinical decision-making.
- Real-time ultrasonic estimation is a widely used, non-invasive method.
- Previous literature suggests high reliability and validity for this technique.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and assess the reliability and validity of real-time ultrasonic bladder volume estimation.
- To identify the strengths and limitations of existing studies on this topic.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE (1966-1996) and bibliographies.
- Independent, duplicate selection and data extraction of relevant studies.
- Classification of studies into reliability (observer agreement) and validity (comparison with actual volume) categories.
Main Results:
- Included 3 reliability studies (81 subjects) and 16 validity studies (504 subjects).
- Reported index of concordance ranged from 0.923 to 1.00 for reliability.
- Reported index of concordance ranged from 0.914 to 0.983 for validity.
Conclusions:
- Ultrasonic estimation of bladder volume demonstrates high reported reliability and validity.
- Concerns exist regarding methodological inadequacies in the reviewed studies.
- Further high-quality research is needed to confirm the trustworthiness of these findings.