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

OBJECTIVES

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).

METHODS

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.

RESULTS

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%.

CONCLUSIONS

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.