International consensus on research priorities in hypospadias using a Delphi study approach.

Introduction: Hypospadias is a common congenital anomaly of the male genitalia that poses significant management and treatment challenges. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of priority research questions in hypospadiology will be essential to reach agreement on the optimal approach to assessment, treatment, and outcome prediction for affected patients.

Methods: We employed a consensus-building Delphi method to identify and prioritize research questions in the hypospadias field.

Automated detection of posterior urethral valves in voiding cystourethrography images: A novel AI-Based pipeline for enhanced diagnosis and classification.

Introduction: Posterior Urethral Valves (PUV) are rare congenital anomalies of the male urinary tract that can lead to urethral obstruction and increased risk of kidney disease. Traditional diagnosis relies on subjective interpretation of imaging techniques. This study aimed to automate and increase accuracy of PUV detection in voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) images using an AI-based pipeline.

Megameatus intact prepuce: a systematic review of surgical techniques and long-term outcomes.

Megameatus intact prepuce (MIP) presents with diverse phenotypes that complicate the management of this rare but complex hypospadias variant. Current data on optimal treatment methods and patient outcomes are sparse, unintegrated, and therefore challenging to implement clinically. A comprehensive systematic review of the existing literature on MIP was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines.

Artificial Intelligence Tools in Pediatric Urology: A Comprehensive Review of Recent Advances.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is providing novel answers to long-standing clinical problems, and it is quickly changing pediatric urology. This thorough analysis focuses on current developments in AI technologies that improve pediatric urology diagnosis, treatment planning, and surgery results. Deep learning algorithms help detect problems with previously unheard-of precision in disorders including hydronephrosis, pyeloplasty, and vesicoureteral reflux, where AI-powered prediction models have demonstrated promising outcomes in boosting diagnostic accuracy.

Seeking clinical consensus on risk assessment in anatomical infravesical obstruction of boys - A Delphi study.

Introduction: Infravesical obstruction (IO) is a common urological condition in young boys. Patients may present with various signs and symptoms at different ages, with severity depending to a large extent on the degree of obstruction. Consensus concerning accurate and objective modalities to diagnose IO and to differentiate between an anatomical or functional cause is still lacking.

Hypospadias-associated penile curvature assessment and management: A global survey of current practice.

Introduction: Our goal was to assess how surgical management of hypospadias-associated penile curvature (HAPC) varies across continents, focusing on factors that influence assessment and decision-making.

Methods: Members of the European Society of Pediatric Urology (ESPU), Society of Pediatric Urology (SPU), and Hypospadias International Society (HIS) participated in an anonymous, 34-question online survey addressing pre-, intra-, and postoperative elements of HAPC evaluation and management. A selection of intraoperative photos were included in the survey to investigate the prevailing surgical approaches and identify management patterns.

Trilayer composite scaffold for urethral reconstruction:evaluation of mechanical, biological, and angiogenic properties.

Regeneration of damaged urethral tissue remains a major challenge in the field of lower urinary tract reconstruction. To address this issue, various synthetic and natural biodegradable biomaterials are currently being explored for the fabrication of scaffolds that promote urethral regeneration and healing. In this study, we present an approach to fabricate a trilayer hybrid scaffold comprising a central layer of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) between two layers of chitosan.

Quantification of vesicoureteral reflux using machine learning.

Introduction: The radiographic grading of voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) images is often used to determine the clinical course and appropriate treatment in patients with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). However, image-based evaluation of VUR remains highly subjective, so we developed a supervised machine learning model to automatically and objectively grade VCUG data.

Study Design: A total of 113 VCUG images were gathered from public sources to compile the dataset for this study.

Urologist validation of an artificial intelligence-based tool for automated estimation of penile curvature.

Introduction: Severity of penile curvature (PC) is commonly used to select the optimal surgical intervention for hypospadias, either alone or in conjunction with other phenotypic characteristics. Despite this, current literature on the accuracy and precision of different PC measurement techniques in hypospadias patients remains limited.

Purpose: Assess the feasibility and validity of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based model for automatic measurement of PC.

Kidney Cancer Diagnosis and Surgery Selection by Machine Learning from CT Scans Combined with Clinical Metadata.

Kidney cancers are one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Accurate diagnosis is a critical step in the management of kidney cancer patients and is influenced by multiple factors including tumor size or volume, cancer types and stages, etc. For malignant tumors, partial or radical surgery of the kidney might be required, but for clinicians, the basis for making this decision is often unclear.

Automated measurement of penile curvature using deep learning-based novel quantification method.

Objective: Develop a reliable, automated deep learning-based method for accurate measurement of penile curvature (PC) using 2-dimensional images.

Materials And Methods: A set of nine 3D-printed models was used to generate a batch of 913 images of penile curvature (PC) with varying configurations (curvature range 18° to 86°). The penile region was initially localized and cropped using a YOLOv5 model, after which the shaft area was extracted using a UNet-based segmentation model.

Automated quantification of penile curvature using artificial intelligence.

Objective: To develop and validate an artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithm for capturing automated measurements of Penile curvature (PC) based on 2-dimensional images.

Materials And Methods: Nine 3D-printed penile models with differing curvature angles (ranging from 18 to 88°) were used to compile a 900-image dataset featuring multiple camera positions, inclination angles, and background/lighting conditions. The proposed framework of PC angle estimation consisted of three stages: automatic penile area localization, shaft segmentation, and curvature angle estimation.

Management of neuropathic bladder secondary to spina bifida: Twenty years' experience with a conservative approach.

Introduction: Treatment of neuropathic bladder secondary to spina bifida is an ongoing challenge. Although different management strategies and protocols are available in the literature, reliance on expert opinion remains fundamental. A conservative approach can be utilized, but patients must be closely monitored throughout the management process.

Ultrasonographic Evaluation of the Hypospadiac Penis in Children.

Introduction: Identifying key anatomical features of the hypospadiac penis is crucial to better understanding this pathology and guiding surgical reconstruction plans, thereby achieving superior functional and cosmetic outcomes.

Objective: To Assess the feasibility and precision of penile ultrasonography (PUG) in determining key structural features for hypospadias cases (including distal extent of the spongiosal component of the urethral plate, to elucidate the healing process following tubularised incised-plate urethroplasty).

Patients And Methods: Twenty-five children with hypospadias were assessed using PUG prior to surgical repair and then again under general anesthesia.

An objective hypospadias classification system.

Objective: Current approaches to classifying hypospadias severity are based on meatus position. These classification tools lack precise reflection on the degree of urethral hypoplasia and extent of urethral underdevelopment hence are not good representative of hypospadias severity. Here, an alternative classification system is introduced that objectively reflects the developmental pathology underlying this condition.

Thermal Change Index-Based Diabetic Foot Thermogram Image Classification Using Machine Learning Techniques.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) can lead to plantar ulcers, amputation and death. Plantar foot thermogram images acquired using an infrared camera have been shown to detect changes in temperature distribution associated with a higher risk of foot ulceration. Machine learning approaches applied to such infrared images may have utility in the early diagnosis of diabetic foot complications.

Plate Objective Scoring Tool: A new preoperative indicator of penile curvature degree in children with distal hypospadias.

Objectives: There is an unmet need for preoperative methods that surgeons can use to objectively quantify hypospadias anatomic variables and determine risk of penile curvature. We, therefore, assessed whether Plate Objective Scoring Tool measurements were correlated with degree of ventral curvature in affected children.

Methods: Patients undergoing distal hypospadias repair were enrolled into the study between January 2018 and December 2020 and were categorized independently by at least two surgeons using Plate Objective Scoring Tool.

QCovSML: A reliable COVID-19 detection system using CBC biomarkers by a stacking machine learning model.

The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is considered the current gold standard for the detection of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), although it suffers from some shortcomings, namely comparatively longer turnaround time, higher false-negative rates around 20-25%, and higher cost equipment. Therefore, finding an efficient, robust, accurate, and widely available, and accessible alternative to RT-PCR for COVID-19 diagnosis is a matter of utmost importance. This study proposes a complete blood count (CBC) biomarkers-based COVID-19 detection system using a stacking machine learning (SML) model, which could be a fast and less expensive alternative.

Scrotal base distance: A new key genital measurement in males with hypospadias and cryptorchidism.

Background: Anogenital distance (AGD) in both humans and animals is a known reflection of fetal endocrine effect on genital virilization and the related abnormalities, including cryptorchidism and hypospadias. However, we introduce here and investigate scrotal base distance (SBD) as a sensitive genital anthropometric biomarker in human infants with cryptorchidism and hypospadias, which are considered early manifestations of testicular dysgenesis syndrome. We aim to assess SBD in patients with cryptorchidism or hypospadias against healthy subjects.