Tan I L, Stoker J, Laméris J S
University Hospital Dijkzigt, Department of Radiology, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
MAGMA. 1997 Mar;5(1):59-63. doi: 10.1007/BF02592267.
The anatomy of the female pelvic floor and urethra is complex. With the introduction of MRI, the discussion about the normal anatomy of this area has not diminished. The use of a body coil may be contributary to this. In the present study images obtained with an endovaginal coil are compared with those of a quadrature body coil series to study the possible advantage of endovaginal imaging. Axial and radial T2-w TSE images at a 1.0-T machine were obtained in seven healthy volunteers. The pelvic floor structures as well as the levator ani muscle and the urogenital diaphragm are excellently demonstrated with the endovaginal coil. Also, the urethrovaginal sphincter could be recognized in six volunteers, but only in three with the body coil. In six volunteers a new ligamentous structure, the urethropelvic sling, connecting the urethra to the levator ani muscle and contributing to the supporting mechanism of the urethra is shown with the endovaginal coil. The zonal anatomy of the urethra is excellently shown with the endovaginal coil. The urethral length could only be accurately measured with this coil and ranged from 3.1 to 3.6 cm. Compared with the body coil, endovaginal MRI is excellent in demonstrating the anatomy of the pelvic floor and urethra.
女性盆底和尿道的解剖结构复杂。随着MRI的引入，关于该区域正常解剖结构的讨论并未减少。体线圈的使用可能是导致这种情况的原因之一。在本研究中，将经阴道线圈获得的图像与正交体线圈系列的图像进行比较，以研究经阴道成像的可能优势。在7名健康志愿者身上，使用1.0-T机器获得了轴向和径向的T2加权快速自旋回波（T2-w TSE）图像。经阴道线圈能很好地显示盆底结构、肛提肌和泌尿生殖膈。此外，6名志愿者中可识别出尿道阴道括约肌，但使用体线圈时只有3名志愿者能识别出。在6名志愿者中，经阴道线圈显示出一种新的韧带结构——尿道盆腔吊带，它将尿道与肛提肌相连，对尿道的支撑机制有作用。经阴道线圈能很好地显示尿道的分区解剖结构。只有使用这种线圈才能准确测量尿道长度，其范围为3.1至3.6厘米。与体线圈相比，经阴道MRI在显示盆底和尿道的解剖结构方面表现出色。
