CT Scan Results - Decompressed Bladder?

Warren,

Thank you so much. That really answers all my questions.

Your BC Buddy,
Rosemary

Dear Rosemary,
What they're saying is that even after the IV contrast your bladder did not fill, so they could not fully assess whether or not there were any growths in the bladder. When the bladder is distended and filled with contrast, a tumor shows up as a filling defect in the dye. Since your bladder hadn't filled, they couldn't make a judgment, but that doesn't mean they didn't look, and it doesn't mean they found anything wrong. Fortunately, what they couldn't see on the CT is what your urologist CAN see when he does a cystocopy.

I obtained the Radioligist reading of my CT Scan today. There were some interesting comments about the bladder and I thought I would share it here.

My understanding is that the purpose of this CT Scan was to check the ureters and kidneys. I'm a little confused as to why the doctor would not have wanted to take a look at the mucosal lining of the bladder while he was in there...any ideas?

Date of Exam 1/19/07

Clinical History : History of Neoplasm of Bladder

Findings: CT abdomen and pelvis was performed without and with IV contrast reviewed at lung and soft tissue windows with precontrast, immediate postcontrast, and delayed postcontrast images.

The uncontrasted images are unremarkable. Immediate postcontrast images show that the lung bases, liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, adrenal glands, kidneys, vascular structures, gastrointestinal tract all unremarkable. Bladder decompressed. Pelvic organs all otherwise unremarkable. Bone windows unremarkable.

The delayed images show that the bladder is decompressed. It would be difficult to exclude any mucosal neoplasm in an undistended bladder. The remainder of the study is otherwise unremarkable.

Impression: Nondistended Bladder throughout the study. Otherwise unremarkable study.