Role of MDCT in evaluation of urethral lesions

ObjectivesTo evaluate the role of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in the diagnosis of urethral lesions.MethodsThirteen CT urethrography examinations on 13 male patients were performed with 4-MDCT, over a 15 month duration. These patients were clinically examined and a urethral lesion was suspected. The study included recently traumatized patients and patients with suspected urethral lesions. The study was performed by retrograde urethral injection or during micturition after IV contrast injection. 3D-volume rendering (VR) images and VR-multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) sagittal images and virtual images were done.ResultsOut of the 13 patients, two patients were diagnosed having avulsed prostatic urethra.Nine patients were diagnosed having urethral strictures: two at the bulbous urethra (one of them associated with fistulous stricture), five at the membranous urethra (one of them having associated hypospadias) and two at the prostatic urethra. Two postoperative patients with hypospadias were evaluated, one with glans collection and the other with urethral stricture. One patient was diagnosed having urethral neoplasm.ConclusionMDCT urethrography is an accurate method in delineating small lesions, site, length, degree of strictures and extraluminal structures.