Ultrasound Characteristics of the Urethro-Vesical Segment in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence

<b>Introduction.</b> This article highlights the clinical use of pelvic floor ultrasound to image the urethra-vesical segment in women with stress urinary incontinence.<br /> <b>Methods.</b>  The features of the urethro-vesical segment were compared between healthy women and female patients with stress urinary incontinence.<br /> <b>Results. </b>Significant differences were found between the groups in such parameters as pubo-urethral distance, urethral diameter, α angle and its deviation and the deviation of β angle. These parameters were significantly higher in the SUI group.<br /> <b>Conclusion.</b> Transperineal ultrasonography is a practical, reliable, non-invasive and comfortable method for the SUI evaluation. The advantage of ultrasound is the dynamic assessment of urethro-vesical segment parameters during the Valsalva maneuver, which reliably reflects urethral hypermobility and correlates with the SUI symptoms.<br /> <b>Keywords: </b><i>Stress urinary incontinence, transperineal ultrasound, hypermobility of urethra, intrinsic sphincter deficiency.</i>