SONOURETHROGRAPHY IN THE EVALUATION OF ANTERIOR URETHRAL STRICTURES - CORRELATION WITH RADIOGRAPHIC URETHROGRAPHY

A total of 30 patients with suspected urethral strictures underwent sonographic and roentgenographic urethrograms. Two patients showed a normal anterior urethra in the sonourethrogram; 29 strictures were diagnosed in the remaining 28 patients, 1 patient showing strictures at two different sites. Sonourethrography was an accurate predictor of stricture length, retrograde urethrography underestimating the stricture length in most of the cases. Periurethral structures, including the urethral wall, corpus spongiosum, corpora cavernosa, bulb, and external urinary sphincter, were seen clearly with sonourethrography. Periurethral fibrosis was seen in 16 patients and graded as mild (n = 5), moderate (n = 2) or severe (n = 9), depending on the depth of involvement of the corpus spongiosum. Sonourethrography was unsatisfactory in the evaluation of membranous strictures, failing to visualize the proximal limit of the stricture.