# The Predictive Role of Bladder Ultrasound in Children with Nocturnal Enuresis: A Comprehensive Overview

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how bladder ultrasound can help predict treatment outcomes for children with bedwetting, offering insights into bladder function and guiding personalized therapy.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive overview of ultrasound's predictive role in managing nocturnal enuresis in children.

## Key findings

- Bladder ultrasound measurements correlate with the severity of nocturnal enuresis and treatment success.
- Children with smaller bladder capacities and thicker bladder walls may benefit from personalized therapy based on ultrasound findings.
- Further research is needed to standardize ultrasound methods and confirm their predictive value for treatment outcomes.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Nocturnal enuresis (NE) is a common condition in children, affecting more than 10% of 6-year-olds and typically characterized by involuntary bedwetting during sleep. Although the exact causes remain unclear, ultrasound has emerged as a valuable tool for assessing bladder function and predicting therapy response and relapse, with several studies linking urological abnormalities like reduced bladder capacity and increased wall thickness to treatment outcomes. Methods: We performed a literature review utilizing five distinct search queries on PubMed with the following keywords: “enuresis & ultrasound”, “enuresis & bladder ultrasound”, “enuresis & bladder wall”, “enuresis & bladder capacity”, and “enuresis & bladder thickness”. We reviewed each article that met the eligibility criteria, and after a thorough selection, we included 17 studies. Results: Bladder ultrasound is a valuable tool for assessing bladder function and structure in children with NE, providing crucial insights into bladder capacity, wall thickness, and the bladder wall thickness index (BVWI). These ultrasound measurements correlate with the severity of NE and treatment success, aiding in personalized therapy, particularly for children with smaller bladder capacities and thicker bladder walls. Although studies have explored the link between ultrasound findings and treatment response, further research is needed to standardize methods and confirm these connections. Conclusions: The review highlights the predictive role of ultrasound in enuresis management, focusing on the response rate and choice of therapy. Future studies should investigate how bladder imaging can predict both short-term and long-term treatment outcomes, with current evidence supporting its use in customizing NE treatment for improved results.