Uterine peristalsis: comparison of transvaginal ultrasound and two different sequences of cine MR imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To compare uterine peristalsis as seen on two different magnetic resonance (MR) imaging sequences and transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS), so as to better determine the best method for evaluating uterine peristalsis.


METHODS
Eleven women in the periovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle underwent TVUS and cine MR imaging within a time period of three hours. Findings on cine MR images obtained with a serial 60 half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) sequence and a 300 true fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) sequence were compared with TVUS.


RESULTS
The image quality of the HASTE technique was the best among the three methods, followed by TVUS, and then true FISP technique (P < 0.001). Uterine peristalsis was detected in 100% of subjects using HASTE, 82% with True FISP, and 100% with TVUS. With HASTE technique, true FISP, and TVUS, respectively, endometrial stripping movement was identified in 100%, 82%, and 100%; direction was identified in 100%, 45% (P = 0.014), and 73%; and wave conduction toward the outer myometrium was identified in 55%, 9% (P = 0.025), and 0% (P = 0.014).


CONCLUSIONS
Cine MR imaging by HASTE technique with a time resolution of two seconds best delineated uterine peristalsis compared to that by true FISP technique or with TVUS.
Department of Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
Asako
A
Nakai
Kaori
K
Togashi
Kenzo
K
Kosaka
Aki
A
Kido
Akira
A
Hiraga
Toshitaka
T
Fujiwara
Takashi
T
Koyama
Shingo
S
Fujii
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014621:Vagina