TITLE:
Tactile Imaging Markers to Characterize Female Pelvic Floor Conditions
AUTHORS:
Heather van Raalte, Vladimir Egorov
KEYWORDS:
Biomechanics, Soft Tissue, Tactile Imaging, Prolapse, Tissue Elasticity, Elastography
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.5 No.9,
August
26,
2015
ABSTRACT: The Vaginal Tactile Imager (VTI) records pressure patterns from vaginal
walls under an applied tissue deformation and during pelvic floor muscle
contractions. The objective of this study is to validate tactile imaging and
muscle contraction parameters (markers) sensitive to the female pelvic floor
conditions. Twenty-two women with normal and prolapse conditions were examined
by a vaginal tactile imaging probe. We identified 9 parameters which were
sensitive to prolapse conditions (p p t-test with correlation factor r from -0.73 to -0.56). The list of parameters includes pressure, pressure
gradient and dynamic pressure response during muscle contraction at identified
locations. These parameters may be used for biomechanical characterization of
female pelvic floor conditions to support an effective management of pelvic
floor prolapse.