title: Lower urinary tract symptoms: thinking beyond the urinary tract.
abstract: We present a case of a 54-year-old man with progressive lower urinary tract symptoms over 12 months. Physical examination, urinalysis, serum biochemistry and ultrasound of the renal tract were all unremarkable. Flexible cystoscopy was normal. Urodynamic assessment revealed an overactive bladder of unknown aetiology. The patient went on to have an MRI of the lumbosacral spine which showed a spinal cord tumour of the conus medullaris. The patient underwent a laminectomy and resection of the tumour. Histology showed myxopapillary ependymoma of the spinal cord. This case highlights the need to consider the full spectrum of causes, urological and non-urological, in assessing a patient with voiding dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology and Continence, Mater Health Services, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Akbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ashrafi
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology and Continence, Mater Health Services, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Winkle
mesh_terms: D004806:Ependymoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D053201:Urinary Bladder, Overactive / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery