[Vesical schistosomiasis: an uncommon cause of bladder wall thickening].
Schistosomiasis is typically a tropical disease; however, given the large influx of immigrants to our country and the boom in tourism to exotic locations, schistosomiasis should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of certain clinical entities. The flatworm Schistosoma haematobium can cause a large variety of lesions in the urinary tract. The most common sites of involvement are the bladder and the lower third of the ureters, where it can cause lesions ranging from lithiasis and ureteral stenosis to the formation of masses inside the bladder. Ultrasonography is the imaging technique of choice for evaluating these alterations in the bladder; in addition to being fast, noninvasive, and painless, it is very useful for monitoring the response to antihelmintic treatment. We believe that it is essential to know the alterations in the urinary tract caused by this trematode, as this infectious disease that can be cured with Praziquantel might be confused with tumor diseases, such as vesical masses.
López González
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Servicio de Radiodiagnóstico, Hospital de León, León, España. llopgon@alumni.unav
González Medina
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AR
Izquierdo
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García Díez
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F
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000150:complications*; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*