title: Reproducibility of ultrasonic measurements of pelvic floor structures in women suffering from urinary incontinence.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the reproducibility of ultrasound (US) findings relating to pelvic floor muscle in women with urinary incontinence (UI). Eighteen women with UI were examined twice by the same examiners over an interval of 1 month. The US findings comprised of (1) distance between bladder neck and symphysis pubis (BN/SP) at rest, during contraction, and while performing the Valsalva maneuver and (2) distance between anorectal angle and symphysis pubis (AR-SP) during the same conditions. Statistical analysis included test-retest correlations (ICC(3,K)), and the assessment of measurement error and smallest real difference (SRD) for change. BN-SP and AR-SP exhibited high ICCs. The lowest SRD values related to the AR-SP variables (10-19%). US-based measures of the bladder neck and the anorectal angle, distance, and displacement seem to offer reasonable clinical reproducibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel. gotlib_di@mac.org.il
authors.forename: Ditza
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.forename: Zeevi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dvir
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Golomb
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beer-Gabel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011631:Pubic Symphysis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver