Imaging findings of urosymphyseal fistulas

Abstract

Prostate cancer accounts for 13% of all new cancer diagnoses in the UK. Urosymphyseal fistulas are a rare complication that can occur post-radiotherapy and surgery for prostate cancer. Patients often present with non-specific symptoms such as suprapubic tenderness, poor mobility, recurrent urinary infections, and difficulty passing urine. These can be difficult to diagnose clinically and extremely problematic and debilitating for patients. The management of these patients is often complex and requires input from urology, orthopaedics, and microbiology. At present, there are no clear guidelines for diagnosing these conditions. Recommended investigations include blood tests, urine culture, and imaging. The preferred imaging modality is pelvic MRI. This article explores three rare cases of such complications and the classic imaging findings on CT and MRI to aid the diagnosis of urosymphyseal fistula.