title: Evaluation of clitoral blood flow by color Doppler ultrasonography.
abstract: The feasibility of reliably measuring clitoral blood flow using standard color Doppler ultrasonography was evaluated by two independent assessors in a sample of 40 pre- and post-menopausal women. High positive correlations with no significant mean differences between examiners were found for three major standard blood flow measures including maximum velocity, resistance, and pulsatility indices. With further methodological refinements, ultrasonographic evaluation of clitoral blood flow will be adaptable for clinical and research use and is likely to become the standard physiological measure of female sexual arousal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khalifé
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Binik
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amsel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D002987:Clitoris / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*