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. 2016 Aug 3;27(5):2067–2085. doi: 10.1007/s00330-016-4471-7

Table 6.

Overview of the published reference values for quantitative MR-measurements of the pelvic floor

Parameters Reference value ± standard deviation Reference
Anterior compartment
 Bladder base position (according to PCL) at rest −2.3 ± 0.46 cm [39]
 Bladder base position (according to PCL) during straining 0.81 ± 1.11 cm [39]
Middle compartment
 Anterior cervical lip position (according to PCL) at rest 4.31 ± 0.78 cm [39]
 Anterior cervical lip position (according to PCL) during straining −0.79 ± 1.65 cm [39]
Posterior compartment
 Anterior bulge of the rectal wall during straining (rectocele) 2.6 ± 0.6 cm [39]
 Ano rectal junction (ARJ) at rest ≤3 cm below the PCL 0.53 ± 0.99 cm [34, 39]
 ARJ during squeezing Elevation of ARJ [36]
 ARJ during straining 2.99 ± 1.03 cm [39]
 Anorectal angle (ARA) at rest 85-95°
93° ± 4.8°
[31, 39]
 ARA during squeezing 71° sharpening of 10-15° [16, 27]
 ARA during straining or defecation 103° 15-25° more obtuse 108° ± 14.7° [16, 27, 39]
Measurements for quantification of the pelvic floor laxity
 H-line (hiatus) during straining 5.8 ± 0.5 cm [15]
 M-line (descent of H-line to PCL) during straining 1.3 ± 0.5 cm [15]
 Levator plate angle during straining 11.7 ± 4.8° [15]
 Iliococcygeus angle at rest 20.9 ± 3.5° [15]
 Iliococcygeus angle during straining 33.4 ± 8.2° [15]
 Transverse diameter of levator hiatus at rest 3.3 ± 0.4 [15]
 Transverse diameter of levator hiatus during straining 4.5 ± 0.7 cm [15]