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Test–retest and intra-observer repeatability of two-, three- and four-dimensional perineal ultrasound of pelvic floor muscle anatomy and function

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Abstract

The aims of the present study were to evaluate test–retest intra-observer repeatability of ultrasound measurement of the morphology and function of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs). Seventeen subjects were tested twice. Two-, three- and four- dimensional ultrasound recorded cough, huff, muscle morphology and PFM contraction, respectively. Analyses were conducted offline. Measurements of levator hiatal dimensions demonstrated intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) values of 0.61, 0.72, 0.86 and 0.92, for the anterior-posterior dimension, transverse dimension, resting area and narrowing during contraction, respectively. Muscle thickness showed variable reliability. ICC values for measurement of the position of the bladder neck were 0.86 and 0.82 at rest, in the vertical and horizontal direction. Displacement of the bladder neck during contraction, huff and cough demonstrated ICC values of 0.56, 0.59 and 0.51, respectively. Perineal ultrasound is a reliable method for measuring most of the tested parameters of morphology and function of the PFMs.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge support for this research through the EXTRA funds from the Norwegian Foundation for Health and Rehabilitation and the Norwegian Women’s Public Health Association.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, P.O. Box 4014, Ulleval Stadion, 0806, Oslo, Norway

    Ingeborg Hoff Brækken & Kari Bø

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway

    Memona Majida & Marie Ellstrøm-Engh

  3. Nepean Clinical School, University of Sydney, Nepean Hospital, Penrith, Australia

    Hans Peter Dietz

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Wolfgang Umek

  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty Division Akershus University Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Marie Ellstrøm-Engh

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  1. Ingeborg Hoff Brækken
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  2. Memona Majida
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  3. Marie Ellstrøm-Engh
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  4. Hans Peter Dietz
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  5. Wolfgang Umek
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  6. Kari Bø
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Correspondence to Ingeborg Hoff Brækken.

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Brækken, I.H., Majida, M., Ellstrøm-Engh, M. et al. Test–retest and intra-observer repeatability of two-, three- and four-dimensional perineal ultrasound of pelvic floor muscle anatomy and function. Int Urogynecol J 19, 227–235 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-007-0408-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-007-0408-7

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