title: Ultrasonography for measuring rectus abdominis muscles diastasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preoperative imaging evaluation may be useful for determining the position of recti abdominis muscles before their correction. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography to measure the width of rectus abdominis muscle diastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rectus diastasis was measured by ultrasonography preoperatively in 20 females. Rectus diastasis was measured in seven levels along the anterior rectus sheath by ultrasound after sustained deep inspiration and after expiration. Rectus diastasis, at the same levels, was also measured after its exposition during abdominoplasty by two independent observers, using a surgical compass. These values were compared using Wilcoxon's statistical text, for non independent values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the values obtained by ultrasound and those measured during surgery in the supra-umbilical levels and at the level of the umbilicus. However, below the umbilicus these values differed significantly, showing smaller values in the imaging evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasonography is an accurate method to measure rectus diastasis above the umbilicus and at the umbilical level.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Denise de Almeida
authors.initials: Dde A
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Fábio Xerfan
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Nahas
authors.forename: Daniela Francescato
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Veiga
authors.forename: Fernando Vilela
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Ricardo Góes
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Figueiras
authors.forename: Heitor Carvalho
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Pedro Bins
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Ely
authors.forename: Neil Ferreira
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Novo
authors.forename: Lydia Masako
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011300:Preoperative Care; D017568:Rectus Abdominis / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods