title: MR imaging-based assessment of the female pelvic floor.
abstract: Pelvic floor weakness is a functional condition that affects the anatomic structures supporting the pelvic organs: fasciae, ligaments, and muscles. It is a prevalent disorder among people older than 50 years, especially women, and may substantially diminish their quality of life. Many complex causes of pelvic floor weakness have been described, but the greatest risk factors are aging and female sex. Pelvic floor weakness can provoke a wide range of symptoms, including pain, urinary and fecal incontinence, constipation, difficulty in voiding, a sense of pressure, and sexual dysfunction. When the condition is diagnosed solely on the basis of physical and clinical examination, the compartments involved and the site of prolapse are frequently misidentified. Such errors contribute to a high number of failed interventions. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, which allows visualization of all three compartments, has proved a reliable technique for accurate diagnosis, especially when involvement of multiple compartments is suspected. MR imaging allows precise evaluation of ligaments, muscles, and pelvic organs and provides accurate information for appropriate surgical treatment. Moreover, dynamic MR imaging with steady-state sequences enables the evaluation of functional disorders of the pelvic floor. The authors review the pelvic floor anatomy, describe the MR imaging protocol used in their institutions, survey common MR imaging findings in the presence of pelvic floor weakness, and highlight key details that radiologists should provide surgeons to ensure effective treatment and improved outcomes.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology, Central Radiodiagnostic Unit, Hospital del Henares, c/Marie Curie s/n, 28822 Coslada, Spain (L.G.d.S., J.d.M.C., L.F.A.d.H., L.G.V., P.F.R., M.M.P., M.I.D.P.d.l.V., A.G.M.S.); and Central Radiodiagnostic Unit, Hospital Infanta Sofía, San Sebastián de los Reyes, Spain (E.F.M.).
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García del Salto
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Miguel Criado
authors.forename: Luis Felipe
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Aguilera del Hoyo
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez Velasco
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fraga Rivas
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manzano Paradela
authors.forename: María Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Díez Pérez de las Vacas
authors.forename: Ana Gloria
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Marco Sanz
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fraile Moreno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D059952:Pelvic Floor Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology