Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Imaging of male urethra

  • Urogenital
  • Published:
European Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

The male urethral imaging and pathology is not widespread in the radiology literature because this part of the urinary tract is easily studied by urologists with clinical or endoscopic examinations. Ultrasonography and MR imaging are increasingly being used in association with voiding cystourethrography and retrograde urethrography. The posterior urethra is being studied with voiding cystourethrography or voiding sonography which allows the detection of bladder neck pathology, post-surgical stenosis, and neoplasms. The functional aspects of the bladder neck and posterior urethra can be monitored continuously in patients with neuromuscular dysfunction of the bladder. The anterior urethral anatomy and pathology is commonly explored by retrograde urethrography, but recently sonourethrography and MR imaging have been proposed, distending the lumen with simple saline solution instead of iodinated contrast media. They are being used to study the urethral mucosa and the periurethral spongy tissue which can be involved in the urethral pathologies such as strictures, diverticula, trauma, and tumors. Imaging has an important role to play in the study of the diseases of the male urethra since it can detect pathology not visible on urethroscopy. The new imaging techniques in this area, such as sonography and MR, can provide adjunct information that cannot be obtained with other modalities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 6a–d.
Fig. 7a, b.
Fig. 8.
Fig. 9.
Fig. 10a–d.
Fig. 11.
Fig. 12a, b.
Fig. 13.
Fig. 14a–d.
Fig. 15.
Fig. 16.
Fig. 17a, b.
Fig. 18a, b.
Fig. 19.
Fig. 20a, b.
Fig. 21.
Fig. 22.
Fig. 23.
Fig. 24.
Fig. 25.
Fig. 26.

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  1. Friedland GW (1990) The urethra: imaging and intervention in the 1990s. Clin Radiol 42:157–160

    Google Scholar 

  2. Dunnick NR, Sandler CM, Amis ES et al. (1997) Textbook of uroradiology, 2nd edn. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, pp 465-485

  3. Bates CP, Corney LE (1971) Synchronous cine/pressure/flow cystography: a method of routine urodynamic investigation. Br J Radiol 44:44–48

    Google Scholar 

  4. McCallum RW (1979) The adult male urethra: normal anatomy, pathology, and method of urethrography. Radiol Clin North Am 17:227–244

    Google Scholar 

  5. Gluck CD, Bundy AL, Fine C, Loughlin KR, Richie JP (1988) Sonographic urethrogram: comparison to roentgenographic techniques in 22 patients. J Urol 140:1404–1408

    Google Scholar 

  6. Shabsigh R, Fishman IJ, Krebs M (1987) The use of transrectal longitudinal real-time ultrasonography in urodynamics. J Urol 138:1416–1419

    Google Scholar 

  7. Perkash I, Friedland GW (1985) Real-time gray-scale transrectal linear array ultrasonography in urodynamic evaluation. Semin Urol 3:49–58

    Google Scholar 

  8. Chang SC, Yeh CH (1992) The applications of dynamic transrectal ultrasound in the lower urinary tract of men and women. Ultrasound Q 10:185–223

    Google Scholar 

  9. Nash PA, McAninch JW, Bruce JE, Hanks DK (1995) Sono-urethrography in the evaluation of anterior urethral strictures. J Urol 154:72–76

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bearcroft PWP, Berman LH (1994) Sonography in the evaluation of the male anterior urethra. Clin Radiol 49:621–626

    Google Scholar 

  11. Desser TS, Nino-Murcia M, Olcott EW, Rerris MK (1999) Advantages of performing sonourethrography with lidocaine hydrochloride jelly in a prepackaged delivery system. Am J Roentgenol 173:39–40

    Google Scholar 

  12. Nurenberg P, Zimmern PE (1997) Role of MR imaging with transrectal coil in the evaluation of complex urethral abnormalities. Am J Roentgenol 169:1335–1338

    Google Scholar 

  13. Duckett JW, Snow BW (1986) Disorders of the urethra and penis. Campbell's urology, 5th edn. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 2000–2030

  14. Friedland GW, Devries PA, Nino-Murcia M et al. (1990) Congenital anomalies of the urethra. In: Pollack HM (ed) Clinical urography. Saunders, Baltimore, pp 736–751

  15. Blaivas JG, Norlen LJ (1984) Primary bladder neck obstruction. World J Urol 2:191–195

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fellows GJ, Cannell LB, Ravichandran G (1987) Transrectal ultrasonography compared with voiding cystourethrography after spinal cord injury. Br J Urol 59:218–221

    Google Scholar 

  17. Perkash I, Friedland GW (1986) Transrectal ultrasonography of the lower urinary tract: evaluation of bladder neck problems. Neurourol Urodyn 5:299–303

    Google Scholar 

  18. Callea A, Macchia R, Balacco G et al. (1997) Dynamic transrectal ultrasonography of the bladder neck. Arch Ital Urol 69:185–187

    Google Scholar 

  19. Shapeero LG, Friedland GW, Perkash I (1983) Transrectal sonographic voiding cystourethrography: studies in neuromuscular bladder dysfunction. Am J Roentgenol 14:83–90

    Google Scholar 

  20. Nishizawa O, Moriya I, Satoh S et al. (1982) A new video urodynamics: combined ultrasonotomographic and urodynamic monitoring. Neurourol Urodyn 1:295–299

    Google Scholar 

  21. Giudici L, Costato C, Ricci Babini V (1991) Transrectal echographic micturitional evaluation of bladder neck pathology. Arch Ital Urol 63:69–73

    Google Scholar 

  22. Sikafi Z, Butler MR, Lane V et al. (1985) Bladder neck contracture following prostatectomy. Br J Urol 57:308–310

    Google Scholar 

  23. Barbagli G, Azzaro F, Menchi I et al. (1995) Bacteriologic, histologic and ultrasonographic findings in strictures recurring after urethrotomy. Scand J Urol Nephrol 29:193–195

    Google Scholar 

  24. Askin B, Nilsson A, Pettersson S (1984) Functional evaluation of anterior urethral strictures with combined antegrade and retrograde urethrography. Scand J Urol Nephrol 18:1–7

    Google Scholar 

  25. Andersen J, Aagaard J, Jaszczak P (1987) Retrograde urethrography in the postoperative control of urethral strictures treated with visual internal urethrotomy. Urol Int 42:390–391

    Google Scholar 

  26. Merkle W, Wagner W (1988) Sonography of the distal male urethra: a new diagnostic procedure for urethral strictures – results of a retrospective study. J Urol 140:1409–1411

    Google Scholar 

  27. McAninch JW, Laing FC, Jeffrey RB (1988) Sonourethrography in the evaluation of urethral strictures: a preliminary report. J Urol 139:294–297

    Google Scholar 

  28. Merkle W, Wagner W (1990) Risk of recurrent stricture following internal urethrotomy: prospective ultrasound study of distal male urethra. Br J Urol 65:618–620

    Google Scholar 

  29. Gupta S, Majumdar B, Tiwari A et al. (1993) Sonourethrography in the evaluation of anterior urethral strictures: correlation with radiographic urethrography. J Clin Ultrasound 21:231–239

    Google Scholar 

  30. Das S (1992) Ultrasonographic evaluation of urethrae stricture disease. Urology 40:237–242

    Google Scholar 

  31. Chiou RK, Anderson JC, Tran T, Patterson RH, Wobig R, Taylor RJ (1996) Evaluation of urethral strictures and associated abnormalities using high-resolution and color Doppler ultrasound. Urology 47:102–107

    Google Scholar 

  32. Derschum W, Dittrich A, Vandendris M, Vietsch H von (1996) Echography in the diagnosis of strictures of the anterior male urethra. J Urol 155:426A (abstract 464)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Morey AF, McAninch JW (1997) Role of preoperative sonourethrography in bulbar urethral reconstruction. J Urol 158:1376–1379

    Google Scholar 

  34. Pavlica P, Menchi I, Barozzi L (in press) New imaging of the anterior male urethra. Abdom Imaging

  35. Hoebeke PB, Van Laecke E, Raes A et al. (1997) Membrano-bulbo-urethral junction stenosis. Eur Urol 32:480–484

    Google Scholar 

  36. Perkash I, Friedland GW (1987) Ultrasonographic demonstration of false passage arising from the posterior urethra in spinal cord injury patients. J Urol 137:701–702

    Google Scholar 

  37. Maizels M, Stephens FD, King LR et al. (1983) Cowper's syringocele: a classification of dilatations of Cowper's gland duct based on clinical characteristics of 8 boys. J Urol 129:111–114

    Google Scholar 

  38. Brock WA, Kaplan GN (1979) Lesions of Cowper's glands in children. J Urol 122:121–123

    Google Scholar 

  39. Merchant SA, Amonkar PP, Patil JA (1997) Imperforate syringoceles of the bulbourethral duct: appearance on urethrography, sonography and CT. Am J Roentgenol 169:823–824

    Google Scholar 

  40. Khati NJ, Javitt MC, Schwartz AM, Berger BM (1998) Resident's teaching files: MR imaging diagnosis of a urethral diverticulum. Radiographics 18:517–532

    Google Scholar 

  41. Sandler CM, McCallum RW (1990) Injuries of the urethra. In: Pollack HM (ed) Clinical urography. Saunders, Baltimore, pp 1522–1534

  42. Porter JR, Takayama TK, Defalco AJ (1997) Traumatic posterior urethral injury and early realignment using magnetic urethral catheters. Radiology 205:589

    Google Scholar 

  43. Narumy Y, Hricak H, Armenakas NA et al. (1993) MR imaging of traumatic posterior urethral injury. Radiology 188:439–443

    Google Scholar 

  44. McCallum RW(1990) Urethral neoplasms. In: Pollack HM (ed) Clinical urography. Saunders, Baltimore, pp 1404–1413

  45. Bissada NK, Cole AT, Fried FA (1974) Extensive condylomas acuminata of the entire male urethra and the bladder. J Urol 112:201–203

    Google Scholar 

  46. Vapnek JM, Hricak H, Carrol PR (1992) Recent advances in imaging studies for staging of penile and urethral carcinoma. Urol Clin North Am 19:257–266

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Hospital M. Malpighi, Via Palagi 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy, Italy

    Pietro Pavlica

  2. Department of Emergency Radiology, Hospital S. Orsola-Malpighi, 40138 Bologna, Italy, Italy

    Libero Barozzi

  3. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Hospital S. Maria Nuova, 55100 Florence, Italy, Italy

    Ilario Menchi

Authors
  1. Pietro Pavlica
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Libero Barozzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ilario Menchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pietro Pavlica.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pavlica, P., Barozzi, L. & Menchi, I. Imaging of male urethra. Eur Radiol 13, 1583–1596 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-002-1758-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-002-1758-7

Keywords.