(Ultrasound Review) Italian urologists sonographically determined the prevoid urine volume necessary to assess the effects of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) during uroflowmetry. Dr Mauro Dicuio and colleagues from the Ospedale Maggiore C. A. Pizzardi in Bologna, Italy, reported their results in the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine.
Using transabdominal ultrasound, the researchers scanned 67 men and calculated both the prevoid bladder volume (when the patient felt the urge to void) and the residual volume after uroflowmetry. By ensuring the prevoid volume was >250 ml, they reduced the number of inadequate uroflowmetry studies from 23.9% to only 4.5%.
"Flow rate measurements in clinical studies require an amount of voided urine greater than 125-150 ml," according to the authors. The aim of the study was to compare the prevoiding volume with flow data, and determine the minimal prevoiding volume necessary for sufficient voiding amounts. The effectiveness of various treatment options could then be assessed using this technique.
The men included for study presented with lower urinary tract symptoms including obstructive or irritative symptoms, elevated PSA, or routine follow-up. Using a 7.5 MHz transducer, transrectal ultrasound was performed to determine the prostate volume. A 3.5 MHz transabdominal transducer was used to visualize the bladder, and the volume was calculated using the formula for a prolate ellipse (A x B x C x 0.52). A strong correlation was shown between the prevoid volume measured on ultrasound the voided volume on uroflowmetry.
Bladder ultrasound was a useful technique for assessing emerging BPH therapy, and was a simple, fast, and inexpensive diagnostic test, they asserted. The authors determined that if a voided volume of greater than 125 ml (<150 ml) is required, the mandatory prevoid volume measured sonographically should be greater than 200 ml (>250 ml).
The assessment of the bladder volume with ultrasound before uroflowmetry recording was a useful test for reducing the number of inadequate maximum flow rate recordings due to insufficient voided volumes, they concluded.
Usefulness of a prevoiding transabdominal sonographic bladder scan for uroflowmetry in patients involved in clinical studies of benign prostatic hyperplasiaDicuio, M., et. al.
Department of urology, Ospedale Maggiore C. A. Pizzardi, Bologna, Italy
J Ultrasound Med 2003 22: 773-776
By Ultrasound Review
October 14 , 2003
Copyright © 2003 AuntMinnie.com
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=100&q=70&w=100)
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
