ULTRASOUND - A NONINVASIVE SCREENING-TEST FOR DETRUSOR INSTABILITY

Objective To determine whether transvaginal ultrasound measurement of bladder wall thickness can be used as a screening test for detrusor in stability in women with urinary symptoms. Design A blinded prospective study. Setting A London teaching hospital. Participants One hundred a nd eighty-four symptomatic women presenting to a urodynamic clinic. Ma in outcome measure The detection of detrusor instability by means of v ideocystourethrography (VCU) and ambulatory urodynamics in women with a mean bladder wall thickness of greater than 5 mm measured by transva ginal ultrasound. Results One hundred and eight women had a mean bladd er wall thickness of greater than 5 mm. Ninety-four percent (102) of t hese women had detrusor instability either when undergoing VCU or ambu latory urodynamics. Seventeen women had a bladder wall thickness of le ss than 3.5 mm of whom three were found to have detrusor instability o n VCU. Conclusion The measurement of a mean bladder wall thickness gre ater than 5 mm with transvaginal ultrasound is a sensitive screening m ethod for diagnosing detrusor instability in symptomatic women without outflow obstruction.