Pelvic Floor Descent Radiology

Mr imaging clearly shows lack of descent of the pelvic floor during defecation and paradoxical contraction of the puborectalis muscle with failure of the anorectal angle to open thus resulting in prolonged or incomplete evacuation.

Pelvic floor descent radiology. Imaging studies include colonic transit to assess bowel motility. Although this condition predominantly affects females up to 16 of males suffer as well. It is defined as a line that joins the inferior border of the symphysis pubis to the final coccygeal joint and it is drawn in a midline sagittal image. Imaging of the pelvic floor.

Two hundred patients with clinical symptoms suggestive for pelvic floor descent referred to our radiology department for pelvic dynamic mri for the evaluation of pelvic floor disorders. It results in abnormal descent of the urinary bladder the uterovaginal vault and the rectum resulting in urinary continence fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. On dynamic imaging pelvic floor descent is defined as anorectal junction descent of more than 2 5 cm below the pcl. Pelvic floor imaging is an important part of both gastrointestinal and functional urology urogynaecological departments.

The pubococcygeal line pcl is a reference line for the pelvic floor on imaging studies and helps detect and grade pelvic floor prolapse in defecography studies. Pelvic floor descent or descending perineal syndrome occurs when pelvic muscles lose tone resulting in excessive descent of the entire pelvis floor at rest or during evacuation. Pelvic floor dysfunction can also be caused by atrophy previous injury to or other weaknesses of levator ani which can lead due global descent of the pelvic viscera due to loss of muscular support. Weakening of the female pelvic floor is a prevalent and debilitating disorder.

By contrast the supporting fascia and ligaments are visible on high resolution mr images obtained with an endovaginal coil 16 18. 37 2 2 prolapse pelvic organ prolapse pop also called urogenital prolapse is downward descent of the pelvic organs that results in a protrusion through the urogenital hiatus. Fifty patients satisfied the physical prerequisite to be examined in sitting position and they were asked to take part in the study. One anteroposterior with a widening of the puborectal hiatus and one vertical with pelvic floor descent.

There are two components of pelvic floor relaxation. Symptoms such as obstructive defecation incontinence and sphincter complex disorders have a significant impact on patient lifestyle and physical mental well being 1 2. Pelvic floor dysfunction is an umbrella term for a variety of disorders that occur when pelvic floor muscles and ligaments are impaired.