Virtual computed tomography cystoscopy in bladder pathologies

Objective: Assessed the usefulness of virtual cystoscopy performed with multidetector computed tomography (CT) inpatients with different urinary bladder pathologies compared to the conventional cystoscopy.Materials and Methods: Eighteen patients with different bladder pathologies, which consisted of 11 tumors, 3 diverticula,2 trabecular changes and 2 stones, were assessed with conventional cystoscopy and virtual CT cystoscopy. The results ofvirtual CT cystoscopy were compared with the findings of conventional cystoscopy. We determined the detection rate andpositive predictive value of CT imaging based virtual cystoscopy in the diagnosis of urinary bladder lesions.Results: CT scanning was well tolerated by all patients, and no complications occurred. Images in 16 (88%) of the 18virtual cystoscopic examinations were either of excellent or good quality. All tumors except one, 2 trabecular changes and2 stones were characterized with similar findings in the both of methods. The masses ranged from 0.4 to 7.0 cm in diameter.While conventional cystoscopy could not evaluate interior part of the diverticulum, virtual CT cystoscopy could demon-strate clearly within it. There were no false-positive findings in our series.Conclusion: Virtual CT cystoscopy is a promising technique to be used in the detection of bladder lesions. It should beconsidered especially at the evaluation of bladder diverticula. In the future, it may be possible or even advantageous toincorporate into the imaging algorithm for evaluation of bladder lesion.Key words: bladder; cystoscopy; tomography, spiral computed; tumors; diverticula; stonesInt Braz J Urol. 2006; 32: 147-54