POP-Q, dynamic MR imaging, and perineal ultrasonography: do they agree in the quantification of female pelvic organ prolapse?
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluates the agreement in prolapse staging between clinical examination, dynamic magnetic resonance (MR), imaging and perineal ultrasonography.


METHODS
Anatomical landmarks in the anterior, central, and posterior compartment were assessed in relation to three reference lines on dynamic MR imaging and one reference line on dynamic ultrasonography. These measurements were compared to the according POP-Q measurements. Agreement between the three methods was analyzed with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r(s)) and Bland and Altman plots.


RESULTS
Correlations were good to moderate in the anterior compartment (r(s) range = 0.49; 0.70) and moderate to poor (r(s) range = -0.03; 0.49) in the central and posterior compartment. This finding was independent of the staging method and reference lines used.


CONCLUSIONS
Pelvic organ prolapse staging with the use of POP-Q, dynamic MR imaging, and perineal ultrasonography only correlates in the anterior compartment.
Broekhuis
Suzan R
SR
791 Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. S.Broekhuis@obgyn.umcn.nl
Kluivers
Kirsten B
KB
Hendriks
Jan C M
JC
Fütterer
Jurgen J
JJ
Barentsz
Jelle O
JO
Vierhout
Mark E
ME
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D058869:Gynecological Examination; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014463:Ultrasonography