| Valsky et al [25] |
152 primiparous females |
Vaginal transducer 5–9 MHz (Voluson 730 Expert, GEa) |
Position: not stated |
3D |
Scanning possible in 91.4% of cases |
| Role 3D TPUS in two groups of primiparous females – Group 1 without clinically recognised third- or fourth-degree tears |
Group 1 included 139 females without clinically recognised third- or fourth-degree perineal tears who were examined 24–72 h following vaginal delivery; Group 2 included 13 females with clinically recognised third-degree perineal tears, who were examined from 48 h post-partum up to 4 months following surgical repair by the overlapping technique |
Probe: placed on the fourchette and perineal body, and scanned in the transverse and sagittal planes |
Occult sphincter damage in 7.9% (group) |
| Group 2 following surgical repair of third-degree tears by the overlapping technique |
IAS in all cases and EAS in 84.6% determined reference data in post-partum females |
| Hall et al [26] |
60 females presenting for gynaecological ultrasound for symptoms other than pelvic organ prolapse or urinary or anal incontinence |
4–8 MHz endovaginal transducer |
Position: lithotomy |
2D |
Anal sphincter measurements for intact asymptomatic and asymptomatic females were comparable with EAUS and MRI data |
| To determine normal values of the anal sphincter complex |
Probe: directed posteriorly towards the anal sphincter complex and aligned nearly perpendicularly to the floor |
| Peschers et al [27] |
68 patients (25 with faecal incontinence, 11 asymptomatic nulliparous and 32 asymptomatic parous females) |
Conventional 5 MHz convex transducer (Siemens SI 400b) |
Position: lithotomy |
2D |
Anal sphincter anatomy can be visualised with TPUS; 100% agreement for IAS defects |
| Description of normal anal sphincter anatomy and sphincter defects using TPUS |
Probe: placed on the perineal body and directed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anal canal; angle adjusted until all layers of the anal canal visualised |
One discordant result in EAS group |
| Lee et al [28] |
22 nulliparous healthy female volunteers |
Endovaginal transducer, 5–9 MHz (Voluson 730, GEa) |
Probe: placed on the perineum at the vaginal introitus and directed posteriorly on the perineum in a mid-sagittal orientation |
3D post processing with GE Kretz 4D View, version 5.0 software packagea
|
TPUS is useful in evaluating anal sphincter anatomy, and measurements are comparable with EAUS |
| Longitudinal muscle and outer border of EAS could not be measured in all subjects |
| Dynamic evaluation of anal sphincter-at rest and contraction |
| Description of normal anal sphincter anatomy using 3D TPUS |
Position: lithotomy |
Automated data acquisition |
| Huang et al [29] |
55 nulliparous Chinese females |
Transvaginal transducer, 5–9 MHz (Voluson 730, GEa) |
Position: supine |
3D post-processing with GE Kretz 4D View, version 5.0 software packagea
|
Morphology of anal sphincter clearly demonstrated on 3D TPUS and biometry is reproducible; however, EAS significantly anteriorly; longitudinal muscle not clearly visualised |
| Identify the morphological characteristics and normal biometry of the anal sphincter complex in nulliparous Chinese females |
Probe: placed at the introitus in the mid-sagittal plane and then at the perineum after turning the probe 60–80○°downwardb
|
Multiplanar imaging allowing serial paramedian views, and post-processing can be repeated |
| Automated data acquisition |
