A study of brain MRI findings and clinical response of bladder emptying failure in brain bladder

In 45 patients (38 males and 7 females; average age: 78 years) with brain bladder, who did not have any peripheral neuropathies and spinal disturbances, cerebral findings of MRI (1.5 T) T2 enhanced image were analyzed in comparison with those of 7 control patients with normal urination after BPH operations. Patients with neurogenic bladder were divided into three groups as follows: 33 patients with a chief complaint of urinary disturbance (Group I), 9 patients with urinary incontinence (Group II) and 3 patients with balanced bladder (Group III). High frequency of lacune (24%) of the globus pallidus and low signalling of the corpus striatum (30%) was found in Group I patients, but low frequency in other Group patients and control patients. Furthermore, pathologic changes with various grade in the globus pallidus were observed in 91% of Group I patients. In the treatment of urinary disturbance, a high improvement rate of micturition disorder (77%) was obtained in patients treated with a combination of dantrolene and TURp (TUIbn for females). However, patients which had clear lacune of the globus pallidus showed the low improvement rate. It should be possible that the globus pallidus contributes to control the movement of the external sphincter and the pelvic base muscles as well as other striated muscles. Moreover, lacune was rarely found in the urination center of the brain-stem on MRI.