Invited Commentary

Abstract

Urinary incontinence and voiding dysfunctions are widespread clinical problems of multifactorial etiology. Despite huge progress in imaging diagnostics there are still many controversies concerning the detailed morphology and function of the organs involved in maintaining continence, which are the key to understand incontinence. The anatomy of the pelvic and perineal organs is that of a complex three-dimensional apparatus with very complex function. No consensus has yet been reached on which imaging tool would enable appropriate assessment of the pelvic floor, showing the causes of pelvic organ disturbances. The gold standard method is currently magnetic resonance; however, the most widely used diagnostic method for assessment of the statics and function of the female pelvic organs is ultrasonography. The advantages of this technique mean it has significantly replaced x-ray procedures. However, the majority of current international recommendations on ultrasonographic diagnostics of urinary incontinence suggest transperineal ultrasound as a method of choice, diminishing the role of other ultrasonographic techniques and approaches that are currently available.