Reliability of Superficial Male Pelvic Floor Structural Measurements Using Linear-Array Transperineal Sonography

Abstract

This study evaluated reliability of measures for superficial structures of the male pelvic floor (PF) obtained via transperineal sonography. Two embalmed cadavers were dissected to identify positioning of muscles on and around the bulb of the penis and to confirm the PF protocol. Cross-sectional area (CSA) and linear thickness of the bulb of the penis, urethra, bulbospongiosus (BS) muscles, and ischiocavernosus (IC) muscles were measured on 38 transverse images from 20 male patients by three raters with varied study knowledge and sonographic experience. Intra- and inter-rater reliability were calculated with two-way, mixed effects intra-class correlation coefficients. Measures of the bulb of the penis had the best reliability. CSA of all muscles and sagittal thickness of the BS near the central tendon had good reliability. Reliability varied for rater-identified thickest muscle region and measures of the urethra. Our study suggests that structures of the male PF can be reliably evaluated using a transperineal sonographic approach.