Other testing

Detrusor overactivity (DO) in overactive bladder (OAB) is assessed by a urodynamic investigation which is an invasive test. This chapter describes non-invasive techniques for diagnosing DO and OAB. Detrusor or bladder wall thickness is a measure for hypertrophy of the bladder wall, which is assumed to be correlated with DO. Urinary biomarkers for OAB could provide diagnostic information and could assist in monitoring treatment responses. Involuntary bladder contractions are believed to cause variations in, for example, oxygen supply and may cause changes detectable by near infrared spectroscopy. Bladder wall strain imaging estimates the deformation (strain) in the bladder wall during involuntary contractions, for example. Quantifying heart rate variability as a measure for the activity of the autonomic nervous system could reveal information regarding possible neurogenic dysfunction. Functional brain imaging can be used to measure the influence of the central nervous system in OAB and DO.