A Feasibility Study to Determine Whether Clinical Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging can Detect Increased Bladder Permeability in Patients with Interstitial Cystitis.

PURPOSE: Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome is a bladder pain disorder associated with voiding symptomatology and other systemic chronic pain disorders. Currently diagnosing interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome is complicated as patients present with a wide range of symptoms, physical examination findings and clinical test responses. One hypothesis is that interstitial cystitis symptoms arise from increased bladder permeability to urine solutes. This study establishes the feasibility of using contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging to quantify bladder permeability in patients with interstitial cystitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Permeability alterations in bladder urothelium were assessed by intravesical administration of the magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent Gd-DTPA (Gd-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) in a small cohort of patients. Magnetic resonance imaging signal intensity in patient and control bladders was compared regionally and for entire bladders. RESULTS: Quantitative assessment of magnetic resonance imaging signal intensity indicated a significant increase in signal intensity in anterior bladder regions compared to posterior regions in patients with interstitial cystitis (p <0.01) and significant increases in signal intensity in anterior bladder regions (p <0.001). Kurtosis (shape of probability distribution) and skewness (measure of probability distribution asymmetry) were associated with contrast enhancement in total bladders in patients with interstitial cystitis vs controls (p <0.05). Regarding symptomatology interstitial cystitis cases differed significantly from controls on the SF-36®, PUF (Pelvic Pain and Urgency/Frequency) and ICPI (Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index) questionnaires with no overlap in the score range in each group. ICSI (Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index) differed significantly but with a slight overlap in the range of scores. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging provides an objective, quantifiable measurement of bladder permeability that could be used to stratify bladder pain patients and monitor therapy.

Contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging as a diagnostic tool to assess bladder permeability and associated colon cross talk: preclinical studies in a rat model.

PURPOSE: Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome is a devastating disease associated with multiple symptoms. It is usually diagnosed based on pain, urgency and frequency in the absence of other known causes. To our knowledge there is no diagnostic test to date. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a model of rats intravesically exposed to protamine sulfate we performed in vivo diagnostic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging with intravesical administration of Gd-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid contrast medium via a catheter to visualize increased bladder urothelium permeability. Gd-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid was administered intravenously to visualize secondary tissue effects in the colon. RESULTS: Bladder urothelium and colon mucosa were assessed 24 hours after bladder protamine sulfate exposure. Enhanced contrast magnetic resonance imaging established bladder urothelium leakage of Gd-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid according to the change in magnetic resonance imaging signal intensity in rats exposed to protamine sulfate vs controls (mean ± SD 399.7% ± 68.7% vs 39.2% ± 12.2%, p < 0.0001) as well as colon related uptake of contrast agent (mean 65.2% ± 17.1% vs 20.8% ± 9.8%, p < 0.01) after bladder protamine sulfate exposure. The kinetics of Gd-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid uptake and excretion were also assessed during 20 minutes of bladder and 30 minutes of colon exposure with increased signal intensity at 7 and 12 minutes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary studies indicate that contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging can be used to monitor primary bladder urothelium loss of permeability and secondary enhanced contrast medium in the colon mucosa. It can be considered a potential clinical diagnostic method for interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome that involves loss of the permeability barrier. It can also be used to assess visceral organ cross talk.