A Preliminary Study on Quantitative Quality Measurements of the Urethral Rhabdosphincter Muscle by Supersonic Shear Wave Imaging in Women With Stress Urinary Incontinence. (3rd March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, Baihua; Wen, Lieming; Chen, Wenjie; Qing, Zhenzhen; Liu, Dan; Liu, Minghui
• Is Part Of: Journal of ultrasound in medicine. Volume 39:Number 8(2020)
• Page Start: 1615
• Page End: 1621
• Publication Date: 2020-03-03
• Subjects: stress urinary incontinence -- supersonic shear wave imaging -- ultrasound quantitation imaging -- urethral quality -- urethral rhabdosphincter muscle; Ultrasonics in medicine -- Periodicals; Ultrasonics; Ultrasonography; Ultrasonics in medicine; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.07543
• DOI: 10.1002/jum.15255
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-4297

Abstract

Abstract : Objectives: To quantitatively assess the quality of the urethral rhabdosphincter muscle by measuring its shear wave velocity (Vs ) and calculating the Young modulus (E) with supersonic shear wave imaging (SSI). Methods: This was a prospective study of 43 women with SUI and 52 female control participants who underwent a transperineal US examination with SSI. Supersonic shear wave imaging was performed at rest with a linear transducer and a specialized‐preset procedure. The stability and validity of the shear waves were automatically assessed by the SSI procedure. The SSI images were visualized in a color‐coded elastographic image. In the postprocessing analysis, the ventral part of the urethral rhabdosphincter muscle was manually outlined. The mean Vs and the mean E of the muscle were measured by the SSI procedure. The relationship between the mean Vs, mean E, and SUI was evaluated. Results: The SSI examination was successfully performed in 40 patients with SUI (93.0%) and 40 female control participants (76.9%). No significant differences between the groups in age, body mass index, and parity were identified. For the SUI and control groups, the mean Vs values were 2.54 and 2.73 m/s, respectively, and the mean E values were was 19.7 and 22.7kPa. Significant correlations were found between SUI and the mean Vs as well as the mean E (Spearman correlation coefficients, –0.41 and –0.43; P < .05). Conclusions: The mechanical properties of the urethral sphincter can be quantitatively assessed by SSI. The stiffness of the urethral rhabdosphincter muscle was significantly lower in women with SUI.