Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A New Tool for the Diagnosis of Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis

To determine whether diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWMRI), a noninvasive procedure, can contribute to the diagnosis of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC).

The pelvic DWMRI of patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome was selected between January 2012 and June 2017. A radiologist analyzed the bladder wall signal; he was blinded to the patients' clinical data. According to the 2008 European Society for the Study of Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis criteria, 2 groups of patients were determined: BPS/IC and no BPS/IC. The association between BPS/IC and the wall signal intensity was compared.

In the 106 patients included, 82 had criteria for BPS/IC and 24 did not. A significant difference in the distribution of the signal was found between the 2 groups (p = 0.01). High signal intensity of the bladder wall was related to the presence of a BPS/IC with a sensitivity of 28% and a specificity of 88%. No signal intensity of the bladder wall was related to the absence of a BPS/IC with a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 29%.

In -DWMRI, high bladder wall signal intensity helps to affirm a BPS/IC, whereas the absence of signal helps to exclude the diagnosis. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.

Urologia internationalis. 2018 Nov 14 [Epub ahead of print]

Audrey Charlanes, Frank Boudghene, Camille Chesnel, Calin Ciofu, Frédérique Le Breton, Marylène Jousse, Gérard Amarenco, Philippe Manceau

Department of Neurourology, Tenon Hospital, APHP, Paris, ., Department of Radiology, Tenon Hospital, APHP, Paris, France., Department of Neurourology, Tenon Hospital, APHP, Paris, France.