Sometimes the salts and minerals in the urine can crystalize and form bladder stones. Factors that increase the risk of developing bladder stones include inflammation of the bladder caused by infections, foreign material present within the bladder, kidney stones, and underlying conditions (e.g. prostate gland enlargement, neurogenic bladder) that affect the bladder's ability to hold, store or eliminate urine. Most bladder stones less than or equal to 5 mm in diameter pass out of the body spontaneously and asymptomatically (with no symptoms). If a bladder stone does get stuck or irritates the bladder wall, it can cause symptoms of lower abdominal pain, difficulty urinating or interrupted urine flow, bloody urine, and painful or frequent urination.
A bladder diverticulum forms when some of the bladder lining pokes through a weak part in the bladder wall. A bladder diverticulum can either be congenital (from birth) or acquired (present later in life). Acquired bladder diverticula (when there is typically more than 1 diverticulum present) are most often caused by a blockage in the bladder outlet (such as from a swollen prostate or scars in the urethra [the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body]), the bladder not working well due to nerve injury or, rarely, from prior bladder surgery. Acquired diverticula are most often seen in older men, who tend to get bladder outlet blocks.
There are two adrenal glands in the body, one on top of each kidney. The adrenal glands make hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism, response to stress, and salt and water balance. Adrenal masses are growths inside these glands. In some individuals with bilateral findings (in both adrenal glands and not just one), the mass in one adrenal gland may be hormone-producing (functional) while the other is not. In addition, adrenal hypofunction (a deficiency of one or more hormones produced) may occur with bilateral adrenal masses.
There are several possible causes of bladder wall calcification including cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), radiation to the area, schistosomiasis (a disease caused by parasitic worms that live in infested water located in tropical and subtropical regions), tuberculosis, and neoplasia (cancerous or non-cancerous growth). A diagnosis can usually be obtained from a combination of history, clinical examination, appropriate laboratory studies, and imaging of the bladder calcification and remaining urinary tract.
Trabeculation of the bladder describes when the bladder walls have become thicker and less elastic (less stretchy). This occurs when the urethra (the tube the urine passes through to exit the body from the bladder) is repeatedly blocked (obstructed). With the loss of elasticity, the bladder does not fill and empty as well, causing urinary symptoms such as a slow urine stream, frequent urge to urinate and/or the sensation of incomplete emptying of the bladder.
A bladder wall lipoma is a non-cancerous growth (i.e. tumor) of fat cells arising from the wall of the urinary bladder. Although lipomas are the most common non-cancerous masses found in the body, bladder tissue involvement is rare. This condition is typically found in passing (incidentally) on bladder imaging of individuals who are experiencing lower urinary tract symptoms (e.g. urgency, frequency, painful urination or incontinence) and/or the presence of blood in the urine. However, some individuals with a bladder wall lipoma may be asymptomatic (do not have symptoms). Although bladder wall lipomas do not carry any malignant (cancerous) potential, it must be differentiated from lesions that are potentially cancerous (e.g. liposarcoma).