Voiding cystourethrography and magnetic resonance imaging of the lower urinary tract

Radiologic assessment of bladder and urethral function encompasses several technologies varying in invasiveness, availability, expense, and sensitivity. Although sonography is the least invasive of these modalities, perhaps the most extensive clinical experience is with voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), which remains a reliable extension of physical examination several decades after its introduction. Easily performed, and relatively easily interpreted, there is little argument that VCUG is an important part of any clinician's assessment of lower urinary tract pathology. More recently, advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology have broadened the use of this technique to include evaluation of the bladder and urethra, although a clear consensus for indications of its use remains evasive. This chapter describes the current roles of VCUG and MRI in the evaluation of patients with voiding dysfunction.