Female genitalia: dynamic MR imaging with use of MS-325 initial experiences evaluating female sexual response.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with MS-325, a recently developed blood pool contrast agent, can depict sexual arousal response in healthy women.


METHODS
Serial MR imaging of the external genitalia was performed in 12 healthy sexually functional women before and after administration of MS-325. MR images were obtained every 3 minutes during a 45-minute examination. During the examination, the subjects viewed neutral and erotic video material while they were in the magnet bore. MR image analysis at each interval consisted of vaginal wall, vaginal mucosa, and clitoris assessments; femoral vein signal intensity measurements; relative regional blood volume (rRBV) calculations; and clitoral volume measurements. Statistical analysis of the results was performed with a t test.


RESULTS
On subjective questionnaires, all subjects in the test group reported being sexually aroused. MS-325-enhanced MR images showed strong contrast enhancement of the external genitalia. The rRBV in the glans clitoris of seven of 10 subjects and in the clitoral body of eight of these subjects increased significantly (P <.05) during erotic visual stimulation. All 10 subjects had a significant (P <.05) increase in clitoral size. There were no significant differences in any measures between the pre- and postmenopausal study groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The sexual arousal response in healthy women can be monitored at serial MR imaging with MS-325. This examination holds promise for future studies of sexual arousal dysfunction in women.
Deliganis
Anastasia V
AV
Departments of Radiology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Box 357115, Seattle, WA 98195-7115, USA.
Maravilla
Kenneth R
KR
Heiman
Julia R
JR
Carter
Wayne O
WO
Garland
Patricia A
PA
Peterson
Barry T
BT
Hackbert
Lucianne
L
Cao
Yunyu
Y
Weisskoff
Robert M
RM
D000328:Adult; D002987:Clitoris / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D004882:Erotica; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014621:Vagina / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology
D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D005682:Gadolinium; C109932:gadofosveset trisodium