Gray scale and color Doppler sonography with extended field of view technique for the diagnostic evaluation of anterior urethral strictures.
OBJECTIVE
We compared the clinical relevance of radio urethrography with that of sonourethrography for evaluating male urethral strictures.


METHODS
From 2002 to 2004, 93 men were referred to our institution for urethral strictures. Patients were evaluated by conventional voiding cystourethrography, retrograde urethrography, and gray scale and color Doppler sonourethrography. For sonourethrography the extended field of view technique was used to obtain 1 image of the whole anterior urethra. In all cases the urethra was evaluated cystoscopically or at open surgery. Radio urethrography and sonourethrography findings were compared with cystoscopy or surgery findings.


RESULTS
All strictures were evaluated and treated cystoscopically with visual internal urethrotomy (34%) or at open operation (66%), which allowed comparison of the ability of each study to predict operative stricture length. Sonourethrography correctly identified the stricture and its site in all cases, whereas radio urethrography yielded 2 false-negative results. There was a significant difference between stricture length measured by radio urethrography compared to that measured by sonourethrography (correlation coefficient 0.72 vs 0.92, p<0.005). Mean+/-SD stricture length measured by radio urethrography was 1.5+/-1.3 cm and by sonourethrography it was 2.1+/-0.9 cm. Comparison of radio urethrography and sonourethrography stricture length with operative lengths demonstrated a good correlation in the penile urethra (correlation coefficient 0.91 vs 0.98), whereas a poor correlation was found in the bulbar urethra (correlation coefficient 0.65 vs 0.92).


CONCLUSIONS
Gray scale and color Doppler sonourethrography using the extended field of view technique with a Siemens Sonoline Elegra is a promising tool for defining male urethral strictures. It seems to be superior to radio urethrography for treatment planning.
Mitterberger
Michael
M
Department of Urology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. michael.mitterberger@uibk.ac.at
Christian
Gozzi
G
Pinggera
Germar Michael
GM
Bartsch
Georg
G
Strasser
Hannes
H
Pallwein
Leo
L
Frauscher
Ferdinand
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003558:Cystoscopy; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014567:Urography