In modern medicine, various methods of studying the urinary system are used. Uroflowmetry (UFM, flowmetry or miciometry) - one of these diagnostic methods. During the procedure, dynamic and physiological parameters (speed, volume, quantity, etc.) of the patient's urine flow are measured.
You can get tested in Moscow under the supervision of experienced specialists at the "K+31" medical center. We guarantee comfort, security and privacy.
Uroflowmetry: what is it
UFM analysis is a procedure during which a specialist evaluates the work of the patient's bladder and urethra in terms of retention, as well as the release of urine.
Diagnosis is prescribed for suspected:
- infections;
- oncology;
- complications of urolithiasis;
- Adenoma and a number of other diseases that can provoke a violation of urine flow.
What is uroflowmetry in men and women? In fact, this procedure acts as a method of initial examination, since the violation of the functions of the urinary system occurs in the early stages of pathologies. Timely urodynamic tests help to avoid worsening of the condition, the development of health-threatening complications, as well as expensive treatment.
The effectiveness of the method is confirmed by its widespread use in clinics in Europe and the USA. More than 70% of foreign specialists perform the procedure during the initial examination of the genitourinary system. In addition, urometry is included in the tests recommended by the Association of Urologists in Europe and used to diagnose prostatic hyperplasia.
Uroflowmetry: indications for testing
Mixiometry can be used to diagnose a number of urination parameters and their deviations from the norm. During the procedure, evaluate:
- Time taken for the whole process.
- The maximum amount of urine excreted per unit of time (volumetric velocity).
- The ratio of volume of urine in ml to the time spent urinating.
- Total amount of urine.
- The time it takes to reach the maximum flow rate per unit of time.
- Duration (in seconds) of the period from the urge to urinate to the start of urine output.
For a healthy man over the age of fifty years, the volume of urine is more than 0.2 liters, and the maximum volumetric flow rate exceeds 15 ml / s. For women of the same age, the indicators correspond to 250 ml and more than 25 ml / s. Test measurements are carried out several times in conditions as close to natural as possible, which reduces the possibility of error.
Deviations of one or more parameters indicate the presence of violations. Therefore, the procedure is recommended for research and early detection:
- neoplasm in the prostate gland in men (adenoma);
- problems with urine retention or uncontrolled urination;
- narrowing of the urethral canal;
- abnormal tissue changes (oncological diseases of the urinary system);
- impaired patency of the bladder neck (stenosis);
- urinary tract infection;
- Urolithiasis;
- blockage of the urethral canal at the point of its exit from the bladder;
- prostate hyperplasia;
- chronic prostatitis;
- complications caused by trauma (neurogenic bladder caused by spinal injury).
Uroflowmetry is also used to detect hidden urinary tract diseases in children. Dynamic changes in parameters make it possible to monitor the effectiveness of therapy for certain pathologies.
If you experience a decrease in the usual pressure during urination, a feeling of an incompletely emptied bladder, incontinence, or frequent urge to visit the toilet, you need to make an appointment with a doctor. The specialist will conduct an initial diagnosis, including UFM, and on its basis will recommend additional studies or select the best treatment option.
Contraindications
The procedure has no contraindications or side effects, since urination is a normal function of the body. That is why UFM is used in the diagnosis of people of any gender and age.
However, some medications and treatments can affect the results. Therefore, it is necessary to warn the doctor and indicate the drugs taken. Inaccurate test results, triggered by the influence of certain medications, can lead to an incorrect diagnosis.
