Ultrasound Imaging of the Pelvic Floor: linking anatomical findings with clinical symtoms

Abstract

For evaluation of pelvic floor and lower urinary tract dysfunction the use of transabdominal ultrasound was first documented in the early eighties, with the translabial [1], transrectal [2] and transvaginal [3, 4] techniques developing somewhat later. To obtain a translabial or transperineal image of the pelvic floor, the transducer (ideally a 3.5-6 MHZ curved array abdominal probe) is placed on the perineum, after covering the transducer with an unpowered glove or thin plastic wrap for hygienic reasons. The terms translabial, transperineal and perineal are considered synonymous and are used interchangeably in the following text