Pelvic Floor Ultrasound: A Review

Female pelvic floor dysfunction encompasses a number of prevalent conditions and includes pelvic organ prolapse, urinary and fecal incontinence, obstructed defecation, and sexual dysfunction. In most cases neither etiology nor pathophysiology are well understood. Imaging has great potential to enhance both research and clinical management capabilities, and to date this potential is underutilized. Of the available techniques such as x-ray, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound, the latter is generally superior for pelvic floor imaging, especially in the form of perineal or translabial imaging. The technique is safe, simple, cheap, easily accessible and provides high spatial and temporal resolutions.