New imaging of the anterior male urethra

Abstract

Retrograde urethrography is the method commonly employed in the detection of anterior male urethra pathology. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging have been proposed recently as new methods that can replace conventional radiography. Normal urethral anatomy can be easily studied after saline distention of the urethra, which creates high contrast relative to adjacent structures such as mucosa and corpus spongiosum. Sonourethrography with high-frequency probes has a high spatial resolution and has proved to be sensitive, specific, and accurate in the diagnosis of anterior urethral pathologies such as strictures, syringocele, tumors, and trauma. It has a major role in the selection of therapy in patients with bulbar strictures. Magnetic resonance imaging with a surface coil with a small field of view can detect penile and bulbar stenoses and tumor extension. After contrast administration, the activity of the inflammatory process in the spongiosum can be assessed and used to modify the urethroplasty technique. The clinical use of the new imaging modalities in the male anterior urethra is limited despite their demonstrated accuracy in diagnosis and presurgical staging of different diseases.