NEWER DIMENSIONS IN THE EVALUATION OF PELVIC PATHOLOGY B Y TRANSPERINEAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY

BACKGROUND: Pelvic floor dysfunction is one of the common conditions encountered in female patient's especially uterine descent; cystocele and rectocele are faced by elderly parous women. At present there is no fixed ultrasound criteria to evaluate the pelvic floor. About 11-15% of the general populations who attend outpatient department suffer from various degrees of these problems. Ultrasound imaging of pelvic floor will help the patient from unnecessary complications and reduce the morbidity by delineating pelvic floor anatomy with dynamic studies. OBJECTIVES: To define pelvic floor ultrasound anatomy and to define fixed criteria for diagnosis of problems by 2D ultrasound and to apply the same to qualify and quantify problems. METHODS: Prospective ultrasonographic analysis of sequentially selected 50 cases presenting with pelvic floor dysfunction, and diagnosed clinically by gynecologists were included. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: Ultrasound is an invaluable, minimally invasive, highly accurate and cost effective procedure for assessment of pelvic floor movement of uterus, bladder and rectum with strain is best assessed on real time ultrasound.