RESUMO
To compare abdominal ultrasonography plus KUB film versus intravenous urography [IVU] in the investigation of lower urinary tract symptoms [LUTS]. Retrospective study in which analysis of the radiological data from the files of patients presented with LUTS in the last 2 years [228 patients with only 184 had been fully evaluated]. Those patients had been already investigated and/or operated upon. Clinical urological examination, urine analysis, culture and sensitivity, urine cytology, cystoscopy, urodynamic studies, and transrectal ultrasonography were relevant details to the study. To measure the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography plus KUB film compared with IVU positive findings for the diagnosis of patients with LUTS. Important abnormalities were seen in 124 of 184 fully evaluated patients, the most common being a poorly emptying bladder [46]. The combination of KUB and ultrasonography detected more abnormalities than IVU alone. Only two important abnormalities were missed by this combination [sensitivity 91% and specificity 100%]. Ultrasonography plus KUB film is as accurate as IVU in detecting important urological anatomical abnormalities in patients presenting with LUTS. This combination is safer than IVU and should be the initial investigation for such patients. Flowmetry is useful for the assessment of an incompletely emptying bladder. Additional cystoscopy was very important for the diagnosis of bilharzial cystitis, ulcer bladder, interstitial cystitis, carcinoma in situ [CIS] and small bladder tumors all of which was neither diagnosed by IVU nor ultrasonography