The use of transrectal longitudinal real-time ultrasonography in urodynamics.

A total of 63 combined transrectal ultrasonographic and urodynamic studies was performed to evaluate the voiding dysfunction in 49 spinal cord injury patients and 7 other patients. Ultrasonography provided excellent real-time imaging of the bladder neck, prostatic urethra, prostate and external sphincter, and allowed for accurate diagnosis of detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia, detrusor-bladder neck dyssynergia, prostatic hypertrophy and bladder neck strictures. In addition to offering these capabilities, ultrasonography is less expensive than x-ray and it does not involve exposure of either the patient or examiner to radiation. However, it does not provide a means to detect vesicoureteral reflux.