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Pelvic floor ultrasound: when, why, and how?

  • Special Section: Pelvic floor
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Abstract

Pelvic floor disorders are a significant medical issue, reportedly affecting nearly one in four women in the United States. Nonetheless, until the last decade, there has been relatively limited imaging research into this highly prevalent disorder. The three major imaging modalities utilized to assess pelvic floor function are ultrasound, MRI and fluoroscopy. Pelvic floor ultrasound is a rapidly emerging technique which takes advantage of the widespread availability of ultrasound, the non-invasive and relatively inexpensive approach and the incorporation of real-time imaging and software advances which permit 3-D volume imaging. Pelvic floor ultrasound provides the opportunity to optimize patient counseling and enhance pre-operative planning by providing an anatomic and functional roadmap for the referring clinician. We recommend the consideration of pelvic floor ultrasound, as described here, as an addition to the imaging armamentarium available to physicians and surgeons serving this patient population.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Abdominal Imaging & Interventions, Department of Radiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 757 Westwood Plaza Ste. # 1621, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-7437, USA

    Simin Bahrami

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA

    Gaurav Khatri

  3. Abdominal Imaging, Department of Radiology, University of Colorado, Aurora, USA

    Alison D. Sheridan

  4. Clinical Radiology and Medicine, Division Chief, Body Imaging, Keck Medical Center of USC University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA

    Suzanne L. Palmer

  5. Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA

    Mark E. Lockhart

  6. Department of Medical Imaging, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA

    Hina Arif-Tiwari

  7. Department of Radiology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Phyllis Glanc

  8. Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada

    Phyllis Glanc

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  1. Simin Bahrami
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  2. Gaurav Khatri
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Correspondence to Simin Bahrami.

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Bahrami, S., Khatri, G., Sheridan, A.D. et al. Pelvic floor ultrasound: when, why, and how?. Abdom Radiol 46, 1395–1413 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-019-02216-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-019-02216-8

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