Assessment of the female lower urinary tract by Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) and correlation with introital ultrasound

Objective: To assess Tissue Doppler Imaging as new ultrasound tool for the analysis of tissue velocity parameters in urogynecology. A prospective study to evaluate the female lower urinary tract by Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) and to correlate with introital ultrasound data.

Materials and methods: In 25 patients with (n=14) and without (n=9) a hypermobility of the bladder neck colour TDI cineloops raw data were analysed the movement of the paraurethral tissue stimulated by a coughing fit. Sample areas were placed distal and proximal in the anterior and posterior paraurethral tissue. The TDI data were correlated with an introital ultrasound cineloop picture during a coughing fit.

Results: Patients with a hypermobilty of the bladder neck in the perineal ultrasound showed a significant correlation to the difference of the anterior and the posterior paraurethral tissue displacement. The correlation was found in the distal (difference 0.8±0.9cm, p<0.05, r=0.41) and proximal tissue area (difference 0.5±0.4cm, p<0.05, r=0.41).

Conclusion: This is the first report of parametric imaging of the female lower urinary tract using Tissue Doppler Imaging. TDI analysis in urogynecology needs to be proofed whether these techniques are of clinical value. TDI might be used as new diagnostic tool and for therapeutic monitoring.