Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fujian Medical University and Fuzhou General Hospital, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Delivery-related levator avulsion can cause pelvic floor dysfunction. We compared agreement between tomographic ultrasound and magnetic resonance-based models for the detection of levator defects.
Sixty-nine Chinese women with pelvic organ prolapse were assessed prospectively by 3-dimensional ultrasound scans and magnetic resonance imaging. Levator-urethra gap (LUG), levator-symphysis gap (LSG), and puborectalis attachment width were measured offline with state-of-the-art software. Interobserver variability and agreement between the 2 methods were determined.
Interobserver repeatability was moderate-to-excellent for all parameters that were measured with both methods and agreement between methods in diagnosing levator avulsion. LUG and LSG measurements were significantly higher in women with a levator avulsion. With a diagnosis of complete levator avulsion, receiver operating characteristics analysis suggested a cutoff of 23.65 mm for LUG and 28.7 mm for LSG.
Levator avulsion can be diagnosed reliably by tomographic ultrasound scanning and magnetic resonance imaging evaluation, and linear measures, such as LSG and LUG, can be proxy measurements for avulsion.
Written by:
Zhuang RR, Song YF, Chen ZQ, Ma M, Huang HJ, Chen JH, Li YM. Are you the author?
Reference: Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Apr 7. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2011.03.052
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 21620359
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