Shape of man's urine stream can indicate prostate problems

Scientists from the Queen Mary, University of London, have discovered that a change in the characteristic arc-shape of a man's urine stream could indicate problems with urine flow and in turn, the prostate, the Daily Mail reported.

The prostate is a small, doughnut-shaped gland that lies directly under the bladder and surrounds the urethra (the tube that removes urine from the body).

It grows as men age, and can start to compress and narrow the urethra. The bladder then has to work harder to empty, and as a result men have difficulty passing urine. This lack of flow could also affect the shape of a man's urine stream.

Researchers from the Queen Mary used 60 healthy volunteers and 60 patients to test whether self-measurement of the shape of the urine stream could be used to predict maximum urine flow rate.

They found the men were able to self-evaluate their arcs to determine whether their flow rates were indicative of some kind of urinary problem such as those associated with prostate enlargement.

"The characteristic shape is due to the surface tension in the urine and the elliptical shape of the urethra. We found there was an excellent correlation between the shape of the urine stream and the urine flow rate," co-author Dr Martin Knight said.

"The current techniques, although very accurate, are difficult or expensive to use reliably outside of a clinic. This new approach may therefore represent a useful solution to this important medical engineering problem, allowing men to easily monitor their urine flow rate," Knight said.