Introduction

Uses

• Investigation of:
  • Dysuria Dysuria investigation.
  • Hematuria Hematuria.
  • Crystalluria.
  • Stranguria.
  • Urinary incontinence Urinary incontinence.
• To confirm position of:
  • Bladder.
  • Bladder neck.
• Ultrasound guided cystocentesis Cystocentesis.

Advantages

• Low cost.
• Non-invasive.
• Straightforward.
• Short time requirement.
• Rarely requires sedation.
• No known biological risk.
• Allows ultrasound guided:
  • Fine needle aspirate Fine needle aspirate: ultrasound-guided Cytology: fine needle aspirate.
  • Biopsy.
  • Cystocentesis Cystocentesis.
    Time requirement will reduce with operator experience.

Disadvantages

• May require patient's coat to be clipped.
• Normal sonographic appearance does not exclude disease.
• Abnormal sonographic appearance does not always indicate significant disease.
• Similar sonographic appearance with different diseases.

Potential problems

• Poor transducer-skin contact:
  • Inadequate clipping.
  • Insufficient coupling medium.
• Inadequate patient restraint.
• Operator inexperience.
• Patient has urinated prior to examination so bladder is empty.

Alternatives

• Plain Radiography: abdomen or contrast radiography Radiography: double contrast cystography.
• Cystoscopy.

Equipment

Patient preparation

Technique

Normal Anatomy

Abnormalities

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.

Other sources of information

• Green R W (1996) Urinary Bladder. In: Small Animal Ultrasound. Ed: Green R W. Lippincott-Raven, Philadelphia. pp 227-235.
• Nyland T G, Mattoon J S & Wisner E R (1995) Ultrasonography of the Urinary Tract and Adrenal Glands. In: Veterinary Diagnostic Ultrasound. W B Saunders Company, Philadelphia. pp 115-123.