Radiological Measurement of Urethral Length in Sudanese Adult Males Using Retrograde Urethrogram: A Retrospective Study at DOAMDI Center, Khartoum (2021-2022)
Keywords:
Urethral Length, Radiological Measurement, Sudanese Population, Retrospective AnalysisAbstract
Background: Accurate measurement of urethral length is vital for understanding various urological conditions and guiding clinical practices. This study aims to establish baseline data on urethral length within a Sudanese population and to identify potential influencing factors, addressing a gap in the existing literature.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 266 radiological images obtained from patients at a medical facility in Sudan. Data collection included demographic information, such as marital status and anthropometric measurements, although challenges were encountered in obtaining complete patient contact information. Urethral lengths were measured using standardized radiological techniques by trained radiologists to ensure consistency and minimize measurement variability.
Results: The analysis revealed that the total average urethral length was 22.1 cm (SD 1.7), with the anterior urethra measuring an average of 16.4 cm and the posterior urethra of 5.4 cm. However, the absence of prior studies in the region limited the ability to compare these findings with existing literature. Variability in measurements was noted, attributed to differences in the techniques used by various radiologists.
Conclusion: The results highlight measurable anatomical variation compared to international data, reinforcing the importance of developing population-specific references. Establishing such normative values is essential to minimize iatrogenic injury and to guide the design of urological instruments. However, the study is limited by its single-center design, retrospective nature, and the exclusion of abnormal patients. Further multicenter studies are recommended to validate and expand on these results. Ethical constraints encountered during data collection emphasize the importance of developing strategies for more robust methodologies in urological studies.
