URINARY TRACT ULTRASOUND

urinary tract ultrasound - Renal :
- Assessment of haematuria
- Determination of nature of renal masses can differentiate simple cysts (smooth, well-demarcated wall, reflecting no echoes; benign) from solid masses (almost always malignant; cystic masses with solid components or multiple septae or calcification may be malignant), from those casting an acoustic shadow (stones)
- Can determine the presence/absence of hydronephrosis (dilatation of the collecting system) in patients with abnormal renal function
- Allows ultrasound guided nephrostomy insertion in patients with hydronephrosis and renal impairment or with infected, obstructed kidneys

Bladder
- Measurement of post-void residual urine volume
- Allows ultrasound guided placement of a suprapubic catheter

Prostate: TRUS (transrectal ultrasound)
- Measurement of prostate size (where gross prostatic enlargement is suspected on the basis of a DRE, and surgery, in the form of open prostatectomy, is contemplated)
- To assist prostate biopsy (allows biopsy of hypoechoic or hyperechoic lesions)
- Investigation of azoospermia (can establish the presence of ejaculatory duct obstruction)

Urethra :
- Can image the urethra and establish the depth and extent of spongiofibrosis in urethral stricture disease

Testes :
- Assessment of the patient complaining of a  lump in the testicle (or scrotum) can differentiate benign lesions (hydrocele, epididymal cyst) from malignant testicular tumours (solid, echo poor or with abnormal echo pattern)
- When combined with power doppler can establish the presence/ absence of testicular blood flow in suspected torsion
- Assessment of testicular trauma (rupture is indicated by abnormal echo pattern, due to blood within the body of the testis; surrounding haematoma may be seen blood within the scrotal soft tissues that has escaped through a tear in the tunica albuginea and the visceral and parietal layers of the tunica vaginalis; haematocele blood contained by an intact parietal layer of the tunica vaginalis)
- Investigation of infertility varicoceles and testicular atrophy may be identified