[Ultrasonography of the urethra: prognostic value of the ultrasonographic structure of corpus spongiosum peristenotic fibrosis: prospective study of 33 patients].
OBJECTIVE
The contribution of ultrasonography to pretreatment morphological assessment of strictures of the anterior urethra and assessment of the risk of recurrence after internal urethrotomy.


METHODS
33 patients (16-89 years) operated by internal urethrotomy for stricture of the anterior urethra and followed for at least 6 months. Preoperative urethral ultrasonography, recording the number, length and degree of strictures and echostructure of the peristenotic fibrosis of the corpus spongiosium.


RESULTS
Ultrasound visualization of all urethral strictures, with no false-positives and no false-negatives. 11 patients relapsed after a mean interval of 5.7 months (1-16 months), 22 patients did not present recurrence: mean interval: 15.5 months (6-36 months). Corpus spongiosum fibrosis associated with urethral stricture is isoechoic to the corpus spongiosum (19 cases) or hyperechoic to the corpus spongiosum (14 cases). No statistical correlation was observed between the echostructure of the fibrous tissue and the risk of recurrence after internal urethrotomy.


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasonography allows excellent analysis of the morphological characteristics of a stricture of the male anterior urethra. In our experience, and in contrast with the limited data of the literature, no correlation was observed between the echostructure of the peristenotic fibrosis and the risk of recurrence after internal urethrotomy.
Thoumas
D
D
Service de Radiologie, CHU Charles Nicolle, Rouen, France.
Sibert
L
L
Marlière
F
F
Mnif
A
A
Lemercier
E
E
Pfister
C
C
Benozio
M
M
Grise
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010413:Penis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery