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Imaging of non-traumatic urinary bladder emergencies

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Abstract

Non-traumatic urinary bladder emergencies are rare but critical diagnoses to make in an emergency setting. Acute urinary bladder pathologies require an accurate and timely diagnosis to ensure a favorable clinical outcome. Multidetector computed tomography (CT) is the imaging modality of choice for acute and emergent conditions affecting the urinary bladder. MRI is helpful as a problem-solving modality due to better soft tissue characterization and higher in-plane resolution. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the spectrum of urinary bladder emergencies, review the imaging findings, and briefly describe the role of imaging in the evaluation of such patients. Although there are a few cases of bladder emergencies been reported separately, the literature summarizing the spectrum is lacking. The objective of this article is to review the imaging of acute emergencies involving urinary bladder that will help us to think beyond non-specific conclusion in an emergency setting. For the sake of focused discussion, traumatic bladder emergencies will be excluded in this review. In the era of highly image reliant clinical practice, radiologists must be familiar with the diagnostic strategy to approach these entities.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to our patients from whom we learn.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Bridgeport, CT, USA

    Pankaj Nepal & Joshua M. Sapire

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Vijayanadh Ojili & Ameya Baxi

  3. Department of Radiology, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX, USA

    Amol Katkar

  4. Department of Radiology, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA

    Arpit Nagar

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  1. Pankaj Nepal
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Correspondence to Vijayanadh Ojili.

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Nepal, P., Ojili, V., Sapire, J.M. et al. Imaging of non-traumatic urinary bladder emergencies. Emerg Radiol 26, 675–682 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-019-01703-1

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