Presentation
Presents with history of straining to urinate after trauma to the ventral abdomen.
Patient Data
There are no abnormalities involving the abdomen or urinary tract on the pre-contrast lateral radiograph.
A contrast urethrogram was performed. A Foley catheter was placed in the distal urethra and the balloon inflated. Non-ionic contrast medium was injected, and several radiographs were taken during this procedure. There is a focal narrowing of the urethra 1 cm caudal to the os penis. This narrowed area is visible on both contrast projections.
Urethral stricture.
Case Discussion
Urethral strictures may form secondary to trauma or lodged calcluli. The normal urethra narrows through the pelvis, then widens slightly at the prostate gland. True narrowing or filling defects should be visible on multiple images. Air bubbles can mimic filling defects but will move to different locations in the urethra as contrast is injected. It's important to take several radiographs as contrast is injected to differentiate between true lesions and artifacts. Strictures may have irregular mucosal margins, and there may be a dilation of the urethra proximally from increased pressure.
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