Diffusion Tensor Imaging anatomy of pelvic floor. (EDITUS)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and high- frequency 3D endovaginal ultrasound (EVUS) in understanding the anatomy of the pelvic floor and levator ani muscle injury (EDITUS)
IRAS ID
248640
Contact name
Ola Stankiewicz
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Many women are uncomfortable, inconvenienced or embarrassed because of problems with their pelvic floor often related to child bearing, birth and increasing age. Problems include the bladder, womb or bowel falling through the pelvic floor or not working properly (incontinence or constipation). The normal appearance and actions of the pelvic floor are not well understood and less is known about it when it is not working properly. The traditional ways of looking at the pelvic floor do not look directly at the relevant structures and use harmful x-rays. Recent ways of investigating the pelvic floor (magnetic resonance imaging- MRI and ultrasound- US) do not use x-rays and show the relevant structures directly. Our aim is to improve MRI and US to tell us more about the appearance of the pelvic floor and related structures. The new type of MRI, that adds 5 minutes to the scan, should show us fine detail of the pelvic floor, particularly the muscles. All people with pelvic floor problems who could benefit from MRI will have the additional scan following consent. Two doctors who specialise in pelvic MRI will look at the scans separately and without knowledge of the problems experienced by the patient. They will use the established and the new MRI images to report visible abnormalities of the pelvic floor. By scanning many people with pelvic floor problems using DTI MRI and Endovaginal Ultrasound we hope to identify what abnormalities on the images correspond to particular problems. We hope this will result in more useful and accurate information being given to the doctors helping these patients so that treatment will also be more accurate and effective. Our results will be presented to meetings of local and national radiology and pelvic floor doctors and relevant international journals.
REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/0755
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion