title: Visualization of pelvic floor reflex and voluntary contractions.
abstract: Visualization of the geometric deformation and associated displacement patterns of tubular abdominal organs to mechanical stimuli provides a quantitative measure that is useful in modeling their elastic properties. The origin of the stimulus may be the result of direct and voluntary muscle contraction or in response to a triggered reflex activity. Using trans-perineal 2D ultrasound imaging we examined the characteristics of deformation and displacement of these organs in response to voluntary activity, contraction, straining, and fast reflex responses to stimuli such as coughing. The relative time sequence in movement was examined by serially segmenting the outline of these structures and mapping their temporal characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Spinal Cord Injury Center, Palo Alto Veterans Administration, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA. ceconst@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Christos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Constantinou
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Korenblum
authors.forename: Bertha
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014836:Volition / Q000502:physiology