Article Figures & Data
Figures
- FIGURE 1.
Frame of image obtained during filling phase. Isocontour regions of interest were drawn for bladder (long arrow) and renal pelvis (short arrow) to generate time–activity curves.
- FIGURE 2.
Samples of observed pelvic emptying time–activity curves. (A) Renal pelvis with reflux that was emptying directly at beginning of voiding. (B) Renal pelvis that was empty before voiding. Reflux was observed at beginning of voiding, but renal pelvis emptied completely before end of voiding. (C) Renal pelvis that was empty before voiding. Reflux was observed at beginning of voiding, but renal pelvis emptied completely, with some episodes of slight reflux before end of voiding. (D) Renal pelvis that was empty before voiding. Reflux was observed at beginning of voiding, but there was no downslope (emptying) at end of voiding, although bladder emptied completely.
- FIGURE 3.
Classification of pelvic emptying time–activity curves. Four different classes were defined. (A) Class 1A pattern: renal pelves with downsloping curves (with reflux in pelvis at beginning of voiding and emptying directly). (B) Class 1B pattern: no activity in renal pelvis at beginning but episode of reflux occurs at start of voiding and pelvis empties finally. (C) Class 1C pattern: no activity in renal pelvis at beginning, but some episodes of reflux occur at start of voiding and pelvis empties finally. (D) Class 2 pattern: no activity in renal pelvis at beginning of voiding but retained reflux at end of voiding.
- FIGURE 4.
Bladder and pelvic time–activity curve during filling phase. As bladder activity (also volume) during first 2 min increases gradually (curve on left), sudden reflux to renal pelvis was observed at third to fourth minutes (curve on right), accompanied by sudden decrease in bladder activity. Observed pelvic time–activity curve is example of 1-peak pattern.
- FIGURE 5.
Bladder empties completely (curve on left) before 90 s, but activity of renal pelvis (reflux) does not clear (curve on right). Residual urine was also observed on postvoiding planar image in this patient. This pelvic curve is another example of class 2 pattern during emptying phase.
