MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION, REVIEW

Pelvic floor dysfunction is an important medical and social problem in the female population. The impact of pelvic floor disorders (PFD) is likely to grow as the prevalence of these disorders increases with an aging population. Pregnancy and delivery are considered major risk factors in the development of POP and stress urinary incontinence. Pelvic floor dysfunction may involve pelvic organ prolapse and/or pelvic floor relaxation. Organ prolapse can include any combination of the following: urethra (urethrocele), bladder (cystocele), or both (cystourethrocele), vaginal vault and cervix (vaginal vault prolapse), uterus (uterineprolapse), rectum (rectocele), sigmoid colon (sigmoidocele), and small bowel (enterocele). Given the paucity of understanding of PFD pathophysiology, multicompartmental pathology, the high rate of recurrence and repeat surgery imaging plays a major role in its clinical management. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows noninvasive, radiationfree, rapid, high-resolution evaluation the multicompartment defects in one examination.Findings reported at MR imaging of the pelvic floor are valuable for selecting candidates for surgical treatment and for indicating the most appropriate surgical approach.