Using Anatomical Proportions Acquired From Ultrasound Imaging to Examine Children With and Without Incontinence
James Schanandore, Brittany AndersonBackground:
Postvoid residual (PVR) is an important voiding indicator that can provide valuable clinical information about patients dealing with incontinence or urinary dysfunction. Currently, methods exist that measure PVR, but do not take into account biological factors such as body size, bladder size, and/or prevoiding volume. Anatomical measurements can be used to produce proportions that can account for anatomical variables.
Objectives:
The objectives of this study were to measure and compare anatomical proportions to assess PVR in children and identify differences between children with and without incontinence.
Study Design:
This was a research report.
Methods:
Fifty children between ages 5 and11 years were recruited to participate in the study. Twenty-five children had reported incontinence and 25 were age-matched controls. Ultrasound images were captured of the bladder pre- and post-void. Measurements of the bladder were used to produce anatomical proportions.
Results:
Reliability was high for all measurements. Inter- and Intraobservation error was low based on resulting interclass correlation coefficient values, which ranged between 0.87 and 0.98 for all measurements. The
Conclusion:
This study produced reliable measurements that quantified PVR and identified PVR differences between control and incontinence groups. The study collected preliminary data that showed anatomical proportions can identify changes in the bladder during voiding. Future research is needed to determine whether the proportions can be used in a clinical setting to guide treatment for children with incontinence.