Standing open magnetic resonance imaging improves detection and staging of pelvic organ prolapse.

Introduction: The role of imaging in pelvic organ prolapse (POP) assessment is unclear. Open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems have a configuration that allows for imaging women with POP in different positions. Herein, we use a 0.5 Tesla open MRI to obtain supine, seated, and standing images. We then compare these images to evaluate the impact of posture on detection and staging of POP.

Methods: Women presenting with symptoms of POP at a tertiary care university hospital were asked to participate in this prospective cohort study. Symptom scores, POP-Q staging and three-position MRI imaging of the pelvis data were collected. The pubococcygeal line (PCL) was used to quantify within-patient changes in pelvic organ position as defined by: no displacement, <1 cm inferior to the PCL, mild (1-3 cm), moderate (3.1-6 cm), and severe (>6 cm) in the axial and sagittal T2-weighted images. Statistical analysis was completed (T-test; p<0.05 significant).

Results: A total of 42 women, age range 40-78 years, participated. There was a significant difference in the mean values associated with anterior prolapse in the supine (0.7±1.8), seated (2.4±3.4), and upright (4.2±1.6) positions (p=0.015). There was a significant difference in the mean values associated with apical prolapse in the supine (0.5±1.5), seated (1.5±1.4), and upright (2.1±1.5) positions (p=0.036).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that POP is more readily detected and upstaged with standing MRI images as compared to supine and seated positions. The developed two-minute standing MRI protocol may enable clinicians to better assess the extent of POP.