Ageing effects of the female pelvis and organ endo-pelvic fascia space as shown by novel MRI measurements

OBJECTIVE : In this study, several groups of data were measured by MRI to reflect the effect of age on the pelvis and organ-endopelvic fascia space, and to investigate the anatomical causes of pelvic floor dysfunction. METHODS : A total of 120 women aged 15-74 with no definite pelvic floor functional disorders were divided into six groups with a span of 10 years for each age group. A review of MRI data from all female pelvis was conducted to measure the pubic symphysis inclination angle, the anterior bladder space area, the puborectal muscle pinch angle, and the rectovaginal anal levator gap area. RESULTS : All cases were evaluated quantitatively for the pubic symphysis inclination angle, the anterior bladder space area, the puborectal muscle pinch angle, and the rectovaginal anal levator gap area. The results showed that with increasing age, the pubic symphysis inclination angle was enlarged in women (the group aged 65-74 years vs. the other five groups; P<0.05), the anterior bladder space area increased (the three groups aged <45 years vs. the three groups aged≥45 years; P<0.05), the puborectal muscle pinch angle was enlarged (the group aged 15-24 years vs. the other five groups; P<0.05), and the rectovaginal anal levator gap area increased (the group aged 65-74 years vs. the other five groups; P<0.05). All measures were positively correlated with age. CONCLUSION : It is known from imaging that linear degeneration of the pelvis and pelvic floor muscles with increasing age may be an anatomical factor in the occurrence of pelvic floor dysfunction diseases such as pelvic organ prolapse.Refining the quantitative evaluation method of female pelvic floor MRI to alert the occurrence of pelvic organ prolapse in middle-aged and elderly women who have given birth.