Dual-Energy Computed Tomography for the Diagnosis of Urethral Foreign Body: A Case Study

Abstract

Foreign body insertion in the urethra and bladder is not uncommon and has been reported in many studies to date. However, since foreign bodies are often accidentally introduced into the urethra and bladder during masturbation, they take a variety of shapes and sizes. Furthermore, patient self-reports are typically unreliable as many patients feel ashamed; thus, appropriate preoperative diagnosis is critical. Diagnosis of foreign body insertion in the urethra and bladder is performed using imaging modalities such as abdominal X-ray and computed tomography (CT). However, single-energy CT (SECT) is not sufficient in detecting foreign bodies in some cases. In the present study, we report a successful preoperative identification of urethral foreign body in a patient using dual-energy CT (DECT).