title: State of the art: an integrated approach to pelvic floor ultrasonography.
abstract: Surgical management of pelvic floor disorders depends on a comprehensive understanding of the structural integrity and function of the pelvic floor. For visualizing this region, ultrasonography has emerged as a procedure that is relatively easy to perform, cost-effective and widely available. In this review, pelvic floor ultrasonography, including two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D) and 4D imaging as well as transvaginal, endoanal and transperineal techniques, is discussed from a global and multicompartmental perspective, rather than using a compartmentalized approach. The role of the different sonographic modalities in the major disorders of the pelvic floor-urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and obstructed defecation syndrome-is evaluated critically.
authors.affiliation: Pelvic Floor Unit, I°Department of Surgery, Regional Hospital, Treviso, Italy. giulioasantoro@yahoo.com
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wieczorek
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mellgren
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Sultan
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shobeiri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stankiewicz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartram
mesh_terms: D001003:Anal Canal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014621:Vagina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging