What is the medical term for urinary bladder calcification?

Medical Term for Urinary Bladder Calcification

The medical term for urinary bladder calcification is cystolithiasis when referring to bladder stones, or encrusted cystitis when referring to calcification of the bladder wall itself. 1

Types of Bladder Calcification

Bladder calcification can be categorized based on location and pattern:

1. Intraluminal calcification (bladder stones/calculi)

   • Appears as radiopaque structures within the bladder lumen
   • Often laminated, faceted, spiculated, or seedlike in appearance 2
   • Usually contains calcium components

2. Mural calcification (bladder wall)

   • Calcification within the bladder wall itself
   • May appear as thin arcuate patterns (schistosomiasis) 1
   • Can be diffuse or focal depending on etiology

Etiologies of Bladder Calcification

Common Causes:

• Infections

  • Schistosomiasis - most common cause worldwide, produces typical thin arcuate pattern 1
  • Tuberculosis - less common but significant cause 1
  • Urease-producing bacteria (Proteus, Klebsiella) - lead to struvite stone formation 1

• Iatrogenic/Medication-Related

  • Cyclophosphamide therapy - direct toxic effect on bladder mucosa 1, 3
  • Pelvic radiation - can cause dystrophic calcification as late complication 1

• Other Causes

  • Bladder cancer - associated with calcification, especially urachal carcinoma 2, 3
  • Amyloidosis 3
  • Post-severe COVID-19 infection (emerging evidence) 4

Diagnostic Imaging

CT urography is the recommended imaging procedure for evaluating suspected bladder abnormalities including calcification 1. Key imaging considerations:

• Bladder stones usually have uniform radiopacity 2
• Careful differentiation from phleboliths is needed (phleboliths are often less opaque centrally) 2
• Urachal remnants can mimic bladder calculi and require multiplanar reformatted images for correct diagnosis 5

Clinical Significance

The presence of bladder calcification warrants thorough investigation as it may indicate:

• Underlying infection requiring treatment
• Possible malignancy, particularly in patients with risk factors
• Complication of previous treatments or conditions

Patients with spinal cord injury and indwelling catheters have a significant association between bladder calculi and development of malignant bladder tumors 1.

Management Considerations

Complete removal of stones is important to:

• Eradicate causative organisms
• Relieve obstruction
• Prevent further stone growth 1

Cystoscopy with biopsy of involved tissues is often necessary for definitive diagnosis and to rule out bladder neoplasia, particularly when the etiology is unclear 3.