Three‐dimensional ultrasonography of the urinary bladder: preliminary experience of assessment in patients with haematuria

OBJECTIVE To assess the value of three-dimensional (3D) vs two-dimensional (2D) ultrasonography (US) in the diagnostic evaluation of the urinary bladder in patients with haematuria. PATIENTS AND METHODS In all, 42 patients with painless haematuria and/or irritative voiding symptoms were examined with 2D- and 3D-US. US was done with an Acuson Sequoia unit (Siemens Medical Sol. Mountain View, CA, USA) and the Perspective® 3D technique, to assess the presence of bladder lesions, including bladder cancer, bladder wall hypertrophy with trabeculation and diverticula, mucosal bladder folds or re-growth of the prostate mimicking a bladder tumour. The imaging findings were compared with cystoscopy and/or bladder biopsy. RESULTS In 21 of the 42 patients (50%) cystoscopy with bladder biopsy revealed bladder cancer. Overall, 3D-US gave a correct diagnosis for 36 of 42 patients (86%). All 21 bladder cancers were correctly diagnosed, and 15 (71%) of the 21 benign bladder lesions were correctly identified. By contrast, 2D-US findings gave suspected bladder cancer in all patients. CONCLUSIONS 3D-US is significantly more accurate than standard 2D-US in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with haematuria. Thus, this diagnostic technique might be useful for routine evaluation of the urinary bladder.