A NOVEL TECHNIQUE FOR MEASURING BLADDER WALL THICKNESS IN WOMEN USINGTRANSVAGINAL ULTRASOUND

A new technique of measuring bladder wall thickness using transvaginal ultrasound is described. Measurement of the bladder wall using ultras ound was found to have a good intra- and interobserver reproducibility . Measurements of the bladder wall thickness were altered if more than 50 ml of fluid was within the bladder. Forty-five women with urinary symptoms were recruited from the urodynamic clinic; those with urodyna mically diagnosed detrusor instability were found to have significantl y thicker bladder walls than women with urodynamically diagnosed genui ne stress incontinence. Application of this technique may be useful in the diagnosis of detrusor instability.