Detection of enteric-urinary fistulas with a noninvasive quantitative method.

The 51chromium test is an inexpensive, noninvasive test to evaluate patients for enteric-urinary fistulas. Of 11 patients studied the 51chromium test demonstrated correctly a fistula in 5 of 6 patients with fistulas and showed no lesion in all 5 without fistulas. Excretory urography, barium enemas, visible contrast medium, cystograms and upper gastrointestinal series failed to demonstrate the fistulas with similar accuracy. Cystoscopy suggested a possible lesion in 4 patients but was definite for a fistula in only 2 of those patients.