Role of cystourethrography in the preoperative evaluation of stress urinary incontinence in women

Thirty-two women with stress urinary incontinence and 27 control continent patients with pelvic relaxation underwent a detailed clinical and urodynamic evaluation of the lower urinary tract. All patients underwent a standard chain urethrocystographic evaluation to detect anatomic pathology of the lower urinary tract. Urethrocystographic study included an evaluation of the posterior and anterior urethral angle, funneling of the proximal urethra on straining, the position of the urethrovesical junction and flattening of the bladder base. No differences were seen in the incidence of radiographic findings in women with pelvic relaxation with or without stress urinary incontinence. All five cystographic criteria were similar in the continent and stress incontinence patients. Static urethrocystography cannot differentiate women with and without stress urinary incontinence from among those with pelvic relaxation and thus should not be relied upon in the evaluation of women with urinary incontinence.