title: Radiology of the bladder and urethra in blunt pelvic trauma.
abstract: Appropriate radiologic studies are mandatory for assessing the extent and nature of lower urinary tract injuries following blunt pelvic trauma. A flow sheet summarizing these radiographic studies is presented in Figure 24. With pelvic fracture, two injuries may be found--extraperitoneal rupture of the bladder and rupture of the posterior urethra. In some patients, these injuries may be combined. Intraperitoneal rupture of the bladder occurs as a result of a blow to the lower abdomen or pelvis in patients whose urinary bladder is distended at the time of injury. A pelvic fracture may or may not be present. Anterior urethral injuries are more commonly associated with instrumentation in the male patient; they may, however, occur as a result of blunt injury to the external genitalia or perineum.
mesh_terms: D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D011859:Radiography; D012421:Rupture; D014521:Urethra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*