Chapter 24

Three-dimensional Ultrasound for the Assessment of the Pelvic Floor

Maria Aparecida Mazzutti Verlangieri Carmo and Omero Benedicto Poli-Neto

Abstract

The pelvic floor is a fundamental structure not only for the support of abdominopelvic structures during elevation of intra-abdominal pressure, but also for urinary and fecal continence, micturition, evacuation, and childbirth, among others. Several methods have been described in the literature for the assessment of the pelvic floor, but most of them only provide indirect, and therefore limited, information. Over the last few years, strategies for the analsis of pelvic floor morphology have been proposed, such as ultrasound scanning, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. This chapter will deal in particular with mechanical three-dimensional ultrasound, with eventual brief reference to the other modalities or their comparison. The benefits inherent to the technique and the possibility of dynamic assessment cause this method to be a promising innovation for pelvic floor assessment.

Total Pages: 345-354 (10)

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