OC09.07: Pelvic hiatal area measured by a novel 3D ultrasound technique in women with and without symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction

To compare the pelvic hiatal area between women with and without symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction using a novel validated 3D ultrasound technique: the Omniview-Volume contrast imaging (Omniview-VCI, GE Healthcare). We acquired a static 3D ultrasound transperineal volume from 124 nulliparous asymptomatic and 118 women with symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction at rest. Symptoms included urinary/fecal incontinence in 74 (66.1%) women, pelvic organ prolapse in 46 (40.0%), and dyspareunia in 15 (12.7%). Each 3D dataset was analyzed by means of the Omniview-VCI technique and the 3D rendering method to measure the pelvic hiatal area. Pelvic hiatal area was then compared between symptomatic and asymptomatic women. Women in the symptomatic group were older (23.4 ± 2.7 vs. 45.9 ± 12.8 years, P < 0.001), had a higher parity (1.5 ± 0.8 vs. 0.0, P < 0.001), and a higher body mass index (21.0 ± 3.0 vs. 25.9 ± 4.1; P < 0.001) when compared with asymptomatic women. The pelvic hiatal area was significantly larger in symptomatic women than asymptomatic women when measured both by Omniview-VCI technique (13.18 ± 2.30 vs. 15.85 ± 4.49 cm2; P < 0.001) andby 3D rendering method (13.12 ± 2.35 vs. 15.77 ± 4.5 cm2; P < 0.001). Pelvic hiatal area as measured both by the novel Omniview-VCI technique and by the 3D rendering method are significantly larger in women with symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction pelvic floor dysfunction. Further studies are needed in order to assess the Omniview-VCI's reliability under contraction and Valsalva's maneuver, and to evaluate its usefulness and reliability for diagnosis of levator ani lesions.