Pelvic Measurements Research Articles

Secular changes of pelvis in Croatian perinatal women

The goal of the study was to examine secular changes of pelvic size in parturient women over the 25-year period from 1985 to 2009. Data were collected from randomly selected patients’ medical records of 2414 parturient women from four time periods (1985–1986, 1992–1994, 2000–2002, and 2007–2009). Three different pelvic measurements were collected: distantia spinarum, distantia cristarum, and distantia trochanterica. Regression analyses were conducted in order to test predictors of pelvic dimensions. The multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to test changes in pelvic dimensions over time, with body mass index (BMI) as a covariate.The average size of distantia spinarum, distantia cristarum, and distantia trochanterica was 249.3mm (SD=13.7), 277.9mm (SD=15.6), and 318.3mm (SD=19.6), respectively. Pelvic dimensions were all positively related to woman's height and pre-pregnancy weight. After controlling for the BMI, there were significant changes in pelvic dimensions over the 25-year period and it was shown that distantia spinarum, cristarum, and trochanterica all increased (F [3,2408]=16.4, p<0.01), especially from the 1992–1994 period to the present.To conclude, parallel with secular changes of weight and height in parturient women, changes in bones are also evident. The size of pelvis in parturient women had significantly enlarged over the 25-year period.

MRI-based segmentation of pubic bone for evaluation of pelvic organ prolapse.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a major women's health problem. Its diagnosis through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become popular due to current inaccuracies of clinical examination. The diagnosis of POP on MRI consists of identifying reference points on pelvic bone structures for measurement and evaluation. However, it is currently performed manually, making it a time-consuming and subjective procedure. We present a new segmentation approach for automating pelvic bone point identification on MRI. It consists of a multistage mechanism based on texture-based block classification, leak detection, and prior shape information. Texture-based block classification and clustering analysis using K-means algorithm are integrated to generate the initial bone segmentation and to identify leak areas. Prior shape information is incorporated to obtain the final bone segmentation. Then, the reference points are identified using morphological skeleton operation. Results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves higher bone segmentation accuracy compared to other segmentation methods. The proposed method can also automatically identify reference points faster and with more consistency compared with the manually identified point process by experts. This research aims to enable faster and consistent pelvic measurements on MRI to facilitate and improve the diagnosis of female POP.

Association of hip and pelvic geometry with tibiofemoral osteoarthritis: Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST)

Lateral tibiofemoral osteoarthritis (OA) is overall less common than medial tibiofemoral OA, but it is more prevalent in women. This may be explained by sex differences in hip and pelvic geometry. The aim of this study is to explore sex differences in hip and pelvic geometry and determine if such parameters are associated with the presence of compartment-specific knee OA. This case-control study reports on 1,328 hips/knees from 664 participants and is an ancillary to the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST). Of the 1,328 knees, 219 had lateral OA, 260 medial OA, and 849 no OA. Hip and pelvic measurements were taken from full-limb radiographs on the ipsilateral side of the knee of interest. After adjusting for covariates, means were compared between sexes and also between knees with medial and lateral OA vs no OA using separate regression models. Women were shown to have a reduced femoral offset (FO) (mean 40.9mm vs 45.9mm; P=0.001) and more valgus neck-shaft angle (mean 128.4° vs 125.9°; P<0.001) compared to men. Compared to those with no OA, knees with lateral OA were associated with a reduced FO (P=0.012), increased height of hip centre (HHC) (P=0.003), more valgus neck-shaft angle (P=0.042), and increased abductor angle (P=0.031). Knees with medial OA were associated with a more varus neck-shaft angle (P=0.043) and a decreased abductor angle (P=0.003). These data suggest anatomical variations at the hip and pelvis are associated with compartment-specific knee OA and may help to explain sex differences in patterns of knee OA.

Does pregnancy and/or shifting positions create more room in a woman’s pelvis?

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of different positions on pelvic diameters by comparing pregnant and nonpregnant women who assumed a dorsal supine and kneeling squat position. In this cohort study from a tertiary referral center in Germany, we enrolled 50 pregnant women and 50 nonpregnant women. Pelvic measurements were obtained with obstetric magnetic resonance imaging pelvimetry with the use of a 1.5-T scanner. We compared measurements of the depth (anteroposterior (AP) and width (transverse diameters) of the pelvis between the 2 positions. The most striking finding was a significant 0.9-1.9 cm increase (7-15%) in the average transverse diameters in the kneeling squat position in both pregnant and nonpregnant groups. The average bispinous diameter in the pregnant group increased from 12.6 cm ± 0.65 cm in the supine dorsal to 14.5 cm ± 0.64 cm (P < .0001) in the kneeling squat; in the nonpregnant group the increase was from 12 cm ± 0.76 cm to 13.9 cm ± 1.04 cm (P < .0001). The average bituberous diameter in the pregnant group increased from 13.6 cm ± 0.93 cm in the supine dorsal to 14.5 cm ± 0.83 cm (P < .0001) in the kneeling squat position; in the nonpregnant women the increase was from 12.6 cm ± 0.92 cm to 13.5 cm ± 0.88 cm (P < .0001). A kneeling squat position significantly increases the bony transverse and anteroposterior dimension in the mid pelvic plane and the pelvic outlet. Because this indicates that pelvic diameters change when women change positions, the potential for facilitation of delivery of the fetal head suggests further research that will compare maternal delivery positions is warranted.

An Investigation Into the Relationship of Pelvic Misalignment with Forelimb Hoof Size

IntroductionThe study aim was to determine whether there is a link between pelvic misalignment and uneven forelimb hoof size. Previous research suggests that increased loading increases hoof size, but correlation with pelvic misalignment is unknown.Methods30 healthy, sound, multidiscipline horses, regularly shod/trimmed every 6 weeks, were assessed. Tuber coxae heights were measured in triplicate from the dorsal aspect to ground level, with the horse standing square, using a plumb line and measuring stick. Difference between means indicated value and direction of pelvic misalignment. Using a 300 mm digital vernier calliper, triplicate measurements of hoof width (lateral to medial edge) and hoof length (dorsal to palmar edge) were made of both fore‐feet, prior to and after farrier trimming, and were obtained by the farrier (blinded to pelvic measurements) at two shoeing intervals 6 weeks apart. Both methods were tested for reliability and repeatability to ± 1 mm. Statistical analyses included Chi‐square, symmetry indices and one‐way ANOVA.ResultsVentral pelvic rotation was related to greater growth in hoof width on the contralateral forelimb and greater growth in hoof length on the ipsilateral forelimb. There was a significant relationship between uneven hoof width and pelvic rotation direction (P = 0.0002), and a significant relationship between uneven hoof length and pelvic rotation directional (P = 6.1 x 10‐7). There was a significant relationship between amount of growth in hoof width (P = 0.0002) and hoof length (P = 4.8 x 10‐6) with pelvic misalignment.ConclusionsThis study provides evidence of a statistically significant relationship between the alignment of the pelvis and growth of horse's front hooves. Further study would be beneficial in enhancing understanding of the chain of compensatory effects on the equine body.Ethical Animal ResearchProcedures were reviewed by the McTimoney Chiropractic College Ethical Review Committee. Explicit owner informed consent for participation in this study is not stated. Sources of funding: none. Competing interests: none.

The diagnostic accuracy of pelvic measurements: threshold values and fetal size.

This study aimed to correlate pelvic dimensions and fetal size to the risk for cesarean section caused by protracted labor. This is an observational, retrospective cohort study on pregnant women with an increased risk of labor dystocia. After pelvimetry, pelvic adequacy was clinically tested in a trial of labor. A multivariable regression analysis was made to identify the risk factors for cesarean section. Two subgroups were established according to the size of the estimated fetal head circumference (HC) (arbitrary cutoffs of ≤340 and >340mm), and the pelvic measurements were compared by the mode of delivery. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were evaluated. Altogether, 274 patients were ultimately included. The mean size of the maternal inlet was 1.0cm larger in fetal HC >340mm group compared with ≤340mm. In the vaginal delivery group, the difference was 1.3cm. In the multivariable modeling, maternal age (odds ratio [OR]1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]1.02-1.17), fetal HC (OR1.05, 95% CI1.02-1.09), and maternal inlet circumference (OR0.95, 95% CI0.92-0.97) had significance for the risk of cesarean section. In the ROC analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) value for the pelvic inlet was 0.736 (p<0.001, 95% CI0.656-0.816), and in the subgroups with fetal HC ≤340 and >340mm, AUCs were 0.634 (p<0.11, 95% CI0.493-0.775) and 0.836 (p<0.001, 95% CI0.751-0921), respectively. Labor arrest was associated with the linear relationship between the maternal pelvic dimensions and the fetal size. Therefore, the approach should be changed from standardized pelvimetric threshold values to passenger-passageway ratio analyzed by multivariable modeling to find more accurate methods to predict cephalopelvic disproportion.

Tracing the paths of modern humans from Africa.

In the 1980s, genetic and fossil evidence began to call attention to Africa’s preeminence in the origins of modern human populations (1), but this evidence could be interpreted in two fundamentally different ways (2). Was Africa’s role greater than other continents because it always harbored a larger human population (size) or because modern humans arose in Africa first and subsequently expanded their range across the world (time)? In the 2000s, improvements in DNA sequencing technology and genetic sampling of more present day human groups made it possible to accurately characterize the genetic diversity of groups from different regions of the world, and it became clear that within-group genetic diversity decreased predictably with increased geographic distance from sub-Saharan Africa (3, 4). Subsequently, similar, albeit weaker, relationships were found between within-group variation in aspects of skeletal morphology (cranial, dental, and pelvic measurements) and distance from sub-Saharan Africa (5⇓⇓–8). These results effectively settled the size vs. time debate, because it was hard to imagine how the observed geographic distribution of within-group diversity could have arisen without a recent range expansion of modern humans from Africa. However, how exactly did the …

Morphometric analysis of pelvic sexual dimorphism in a contemporary Western Australian population.

Requisite to routine casework involving unidentified skeletal remains is the formulation of an accurate biological profile, including sex estimation. Choice of method(s) is invariably related to preservation and by association, available bones. It is vital that the method applied affords statistical quantification of accuracy rates and predictive confidence so that evidentiary requirements for legal submission are satisfied. Achieving the latter necessitates the application of contemporary population-specific standards. This study examines skeletal pelvic dimorphism in contemporary Western Australian individuals to quantify the accuracy of using pelvic measurements to estimate sex and to formulate a series of morphometric standards. The sample comprises pelvic multi-slice computer tomography (MSCT) scans from 200 male and 200 female adults. Following 3D rendering, the 3D coordinates of 24 landmarks are acquired using OsiriX® (v.4.1.1) with 12 inter-landmark linear measurements and two angles acquired using MorphDb. Measurements are analysed using basic descriptive statistics and discriminant functions analyses employing jackknife validation of classification results. All except two linear measurements are dimorphic with sex differences explaining up to 65 % of sample variance. Transverse pelvic outlet and subpubic angle contribute most significantly to sex discrimination with accuracy rates between 100 % (complete pelvis-10 variables) and 81.2 % (ischial length). This study represents the initial forensic research into pelvic sexual dimorphism in a Western Australian population. Given these methods, we conclude that this highly dimorphic bone can be used to classify sex with a high degree of expected accuracy.

Stature estimation in Japanese cadavers based on pelvic measurements in three-dimensional multidetector computed tomographic images.

The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of stature estimation by measuring the pelvic bones of Japanese cadavers using three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT). We assessed 3D reconstructed images of 210 Japanese subjects (108 males, 102 females) who had undergone postmortem CT between May 2011 and November 2013. We defined the linear distance from the anterosuperior margin of the left and right anterior superior iliac spines (ASIS) to the posterior margin of the left and right ischial spines as the LSS and RSS, respectively. We also defined the linear distance from the anterosuperior margin of the left and right ASIS to the anteroinferior margin of the left and right ischial tuberosities as the LST and RST, respectively. The correlation between the cadaver stature (CS) and each parameter (LSS, LST, RSS, and RST) was evaluated using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients and regression analysis was performed for stature estimation. All four parameters correlated significantly with stature independent of sex, suggesting that they can be used as a tool for stature estimation. The LST had the closest correlation with stature in both sexes.

Diabetic Pregnancy and Fetal Consequences

Perinatal morbidity and mortality, congenital malformations, abnormal fetal growth, both spontaneous and iatrogenic preterm birth, hypoxic complications, and trauma during delivery are increased in diabetic pregnancies. Perinatal mortality in diabetic pregnancies is still three to five times higher than the perinatal mortality in the general population. Stillbirths during the last weeks of pregnancy are often considered unexplained, although recent studies indicate that most of these stillbirths are caused by fetal chronic hypoxia. Importantly, perinatal mortality has not changed during the past 3 decades in diabetic pregnancies, which emphasizes the need to find new methods and strategies to improve perinatal outcome. Congenital malformations have decreased in pregestational diabetic pregnancies because of general improvement of glycemic control among diabetic women. However, the rate of fetal malformations is still two to four times higher in type 1 and type 2 diabetic pregnancies than in the general population. Prepregnancy counseling decreases the risk of fetal malformations. Efforts should be made to improve the attendance of diabetic women in prepregnancy clinics. Fetal overgrowth during the last trimester of pregnancy is the most common fetal complication in diabetic pregnancies. Accurate estimation of fetal weight by ultrasound is especially difficult in macrosomic fetuses. Magnetic resonance imaging can be used to assess fetal total volume, shoulder width, and fat amount in addition to obtaining accurate pelvic measurements. More studies on the clinical use of magnetic resonance imaging in obstetrics are urgently needed. Increased fetal erythropoietin (EPO) level is an indicator of fetal chronic hypoxia, which can be detected antenatally by measuring amniotic fluid EPO concentration. Sufficiently large controlled studies are needed before amniotic fluid EPO measurement can be recommended for clinical use.

Assessment of a semiautomated pelvic floor measurement model for evaluating pelvic organ prolapse on MRI

The objective of this study was to assess the performance of a semiautomated pelvic floor measurement algorithmic model on dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images compared with manual pelvic floor measurements for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) evaluation. We examined 15 MRIs along the midsagittal view. Five reference points used for pelvic floor measurements were identified both manually and using our semiautomated measurement model. The two processes were compared in terms of accuracy and precision. The semiautomated pelvic floor measurement model provided highly consistent and accurate locations for all reference points on MRI. Results also showed that the model can identify the reference points faster than the manual-point identification process. The semiautomated pelvic floor measurement model can be used to facilitate and improve the process of pelvic floor measurements on MRI. This will enable high throughput analysis of MRI data to improve the correlation analysis with clinical outcomes and potentially improve POP assessment.

Pelvic Periprosthetic Bone Mineral Density Measurement Around Cemented vs Cementless Acetabular Prostheses

We compared the short-term precision of pelvic periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD) measurement around a cementless acetabular prosthesis (n = 29) vs a cemented all-polyethylene acetabular prosthesis (n = 19) in patients after total hip arthroplasty. Two dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans of the pelvis were made on the same day in each subject with subject repositioning between scans and analyzed independently with a 4-region of interest model. Precision was expressed as coefficient of variation (CV%). The measured BMD around the cemented prostheses was greater than the cementless prostheses p < 0.004, all analyses). The net CV for pelvic BMD measurements around the cementless prosthesis was 1.9% vs 3.6% around the cemented prosthesis (F-test p < 0.001). The CVs of individual regions of interest was between 2.8% and 4.8% for the cementless prosthesis vs 4.4% to 8.4% for the cemented prosthesis (F-test; p < 0.05, all comparisons). Prospective studies would require 57 subjects to detect a 10% change in net pelvic BMD around a cementless prosthesis and 122 to detect a similar change around a cemented prosthesis with 90% power and with an alpha error of 0.05. In conclusion, the precision of pelvic BMD measurements made around cementless prostheses are better vs those for cemented prostheses. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry studies of cemented prosthesis require approximately double the number of subjects vs cementless prostheses to achieve a similar level of power.

S195 Impact of pelvic biometric measurements, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue areas on trifecta outcomes and surgical margin status after open radical prostatectomy

AbstractObjective. There is no sufficient evidence to demonstrate whether more challenging pelvic anatomy affects the functional and oncological outcomes of radical retropubic prostatectomy (RP). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pelvic biometric measurements, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue areas on trifecta outcome (cancer control, continence and potency) and surgical margin status after open RP. Materials and methods. A retrospective study was performed on 270 patients who were diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer between 2005 and 2011 and underwent computed tomography imaging before RP. Pelvic bony and soft-tissue measurements, and visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue area calculations were performed. Patients were evaluated for trifecta outcome and surgical margin status on univariate and multivariate analyses. Subgroup analysis was performed for prostate volume, body mass index (BMI) and D’Amico risk classification. Results. Univariate analysis reveal...

Standardization of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging measurements of pelvic organ prolapse: can the PICS line help?

Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pelvis has been rapidly introduced into urogynecological research and practice in recent years mainly to address the shortcomings of clinical assessment systems in women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The primary objective was to better select candidates for surgical intervention and choose the appropriate procedure in order to reduce recurrences by allowing accurate identification and objective measurement of prolapse and simultaneous topographic assessment of the pelvis at rest and straining [1–5]. MRI is particularly indicated in women with multi-compartment POP and in those who had undergone previous repair, as imaging can reveal more extensive prolapse than physical examination alone with detection rates similar to other conventional fluoroscopic and ultrasound methods [1, 3, 4]. Staging of POP using MRI has also been suggested by measuring the perpendicular distance between several reference points and lines in each compartment at rest and after straining [1–5]. The two most commonly used lines are one connecting the inferior aspect of the pubic symphysis to the last coccygeal joint, the pubococcygeal line (PCL), and one extending caudally along the long axis of the symphysis pubis, the midpubic line (MPL). Several MRI staging systems have been published for both of these lines [1, 3, 4]. Despite the widely accepted role of MRI in supplementing clinical evaluation and management of women with POP, this imaging modality has certain limitations. Most importantly, so far, there has been no standardized technique for performing MRI examination of the pelvis. Imaging protocols vary according to patient positioning, filling media, pelvic organ opacification, patient maneuvers (i.e., rest, Kegel, Valsalva, evacuation) and MRI sequences and planes [1–5]. Most of the available imaging systems are unable to demonstrate the full extent of POP because patients are examined in a supine position promoting current efforts to image patients in the sitting and upright position using open-magnet MRI units [1, 3–5]. In fact, sagittal plane images of women with POP that are commonly displayed in the literature as if taken in the upright position had been made in the supine position [6]. A further major problem with MRI studies of the pelvis is the incomplete reproducibility and lack of standardization of the patient effort exerted during straining [3–5]. The anatomical landmarks used for pelvic measurements are easily identified inMRI and this is expected to increase the validity of measurement [5]. The intraand inter-observer reliability of most MRI measurements is, however, rarely described in POP studies [2]. Furthermore, the reference line used for MRI interpretation of POP is not consistent in all studies as this is often based on radiologist experience and referring physician preference [1, 5]. In a recent systematic review, seven different reference lines in relation to a wide variety of reference points have been used in different studies with imprecise definition or interchangeable use of some lines, e.g. “MPL/hymenal line” and “PCL/sacrococcygeal inferior pubic point line” [2]. Although the MPL corresponds anatomically to the level of the hymen on cadaveric dissection, the landmark used for clinical staging of POP, the reliability of MRI using the MPL versus clinical findings in women with POP was lower than that of the PCL in most reports [1, 2]. It is obvious that we lack a proper validation system for interpreting MRI measurements of POP and we urgently need to reach a consensus on a more standardized and scientifically robust MRI protocol for examination of the pelvis. Betschart et al. review this topic further in a seminal Clinical Opinion D. E. E. Rizk Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Assessment of Bony Pelvis and Vaginally Assisted Deliveries

Objective. To evaluate whether pelvic measurements have any association with operative vaginal deliveries and the duration of the second stage of the delivery. Study design. A retrospective study of pregnant women at an increased risk of fetal-pelvic disproportion during 2000–2008 in North-Carelian Central Hospital. The mode of the vaginal delivery was chosen to represent the reference standard. The target condition was spontaneous vaginal delivery. Patients were divided into subgroups according to the size of the fetus and also by the parity to evaluate the variability reflecting differences in patient groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were established. Results. A total of 226 participants with fetal cephalic presentation delivered vaginally; of these, 184 women delivered spontaneously, and 42 women required operative vaginal delivery with vacuum extraction. There were no clinically or statistically significant differences between the size of the maternal pelvic outlet and the different modes of delivery types within these subgroups. With respect to the pelvic inlet and outlet, the areas under the curve in ROC were 0.566 with the P value of 0.18 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.465–0.667 and 0.573 (95% CI: 0.484–0.622; P = 0.14). Conclusions. The maternal bony pelvic dimensions exhibited virtually no correlation with the need for operative vaginal deliveries.

Validity and reliability of the Spineangel® lumbo-pelvic postural monitor

Objective: to determine the reliability and the concurrent validity of the Spineangel® lumbo-pelvic postural monitoring device. Methods: the dynamic lumbo-pelvic posture of 25 participants was simultaneously monitored by the Spineangel® and FastrakTM devices. Participants performed six different functional tasks in random order. Within-task, within-session and between-day intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC(3,1), ICC(3,5), ICC(2,5), respectively) reliability were calculated for Spineangel® measurements. Concurrent validity of the Spineangel® was assessed by means of a Bland and Altman plot and by means of Pearson's correlation coefficient and paired t-test. Results: within-task, within-session and between-day ICC for the Spineangel® were found to be excellent (>0.93). The Spineangel® and FastrakTM pelvic measurements were found to have a good correlation (R = 0.77). Conclusion: the Spineangel® is a reliable and valid device for monitoring general lumbo-pelvic movements when clipped on the belt or waistband of workers' clothing during various occupational activities. Practitioner summary: The Spineangel® can be used for assessing lumbo-pelvic posture during work or daily-life activities. This device was found to provide reliable and valid measurements for lumbo-pelvic movements. Further research is required to determine whether the use of this device is clinically relevant for patients presenting with low back pain.

Image based measurements for evaluation of pelvic organ prolapse

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements are essential for the diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse given the inaccuracy of clinical examination. However, MRI pelvic floor measurements are currently performed manually and can be inconsistent and time-consuming. In this paper, we present a scheme for semi-automatic measurement modeling on MRI based on image segmentation and intersecting point identification methods. The segmentation algorithm is a multi-stage mechanism based on block grouping, support vector machine classification, morphological operation and prior shape information. Block grouping is achieved by classifying blocks as bone or background based on image texture features. The classified blocks are then used to find the initial segmentation by the first phase morphological opening. Prior shape information is incorporated into the initial segmentation to obtain the final segmentation using registration with the similarity type transformation. After segmentation, points of reference that are used for pelvic floor measurements are identified using morphological skeleton operation. The experiments on the MRI images show that the presented scheme can detect the points of reference on the pelvic floor structure to determine the reference lines needed for the assessment of pelvic organ prolapse. This will lead towards more consistent and faster pelvic organ prolapse diagnosis on dynamic MRI studies, and possible screening procedures for predicting predisposition to pelvic organ prolapse by radiologic evaluation of pelvic floor measurements.

Radiographic changes of the pelvis in Labrador and Golden Retrievers after juvenile pubic symphysiodesis

The hypothesis of this study was that juvenile pubic symphysiodesis (JPS) results in pelvic changes that can be identified radiographically in adult dogs. The medical records at the Clinica Veterinaria Vezzoni were searched for standard ventro-dorsal views of the pelvis of adult Labrador and Golden Retrievers that had undergone JPS or had not undergone surgery. The objective assessment of radiographs included the analysis of various pelvic measurements. Subjective evaluation of radiographs was undertaken by 18 specialists and 21 general practitioners and was based on five criteria relating to 1) the acetabular fossae, 2) the pubic symphysis, 3) the margin of the cranial pubic area, 4) the pubic rami, and 5) the obturator foramen. The radiographs of 42 Labrador Retrievers and 16 Golden Retrievers were evaluated. The most useful criteria were the radiographic measurement of the shape of the obturator foramen and two different ratios of length to width of the pubic rami; these values were significantly smaller in dogs after JPS. The pelvic canal width was the same in both groups. All objective measurements were repeatable within and between evaluators. The most reliable subjective criterion was number 4, followed by number 5 in Golden Retrievers and by 2 in Labrador Retrievers. Our objective and subjective evaluations were simple and yielded useful and repeatable results. There was no significant difference between general practitioners and specialists with regard to subjective evaluation, which indicates that these evaluation criteria can be used by small animal clinicians after minimal training.

Pelvimetry and the persistance of racial science in obstetrics

In the late nineteenth century, Mexican scientists became fixated on pelvic structure as an indicator of racial difference and hereditary worth. Forty years later, in his 1931 dissertation, medical student Gustavo Aldolfo Trangay proposed the implementation of a eugenic sterilization campaign in Mexico. He even reported performing clandestine sterilizations in public clinics, despite federal laws that prohibited doctors from doing so. Trangay reasoned that his patients were unfit for motherhood, and he claimed that their small pelvic cavities were a sign of biological inferiority. His focus on anatomical measurements--and especially pelvic measurements--was not novel in Mexico, but his work shows how doctors used nineteenth century racial science to rationalize eugenic sterilization.

Inner pelvic measurements in dairy breeds

Dystocia causes great financial losses: due to dystocia milk production is decreased and the probability of calf loss is increased. There are many factors that may cause dystocia. One of the factors –often investigated in beef cattle- is pelvic measurements. There have not been inner pelvic measurement comparisons in dairy breeds in Hungary. After comparing the imported, primiparous cows, Jersey turned out to have the smallest absolute inner pelvic measures. According to their age and weight, Brown Swiss cows had the largest pelvic dimensions. Ayrshires, Norwegian and Swedish Red, the three dairy breeds which share similar genetic background did not differ in most measures. Holsteins were closest to the seemingly ideal 1:1 horizontal and vertical diameter ratio; however this breed suffers the most from dystocia. Jerseys, despite having the smallest pelvic area are famous of their calving ease, perhaps not by coincidence. Though this dairy breed is the lightest, when pelvic area was compared in ratio of body weight Jerseys were not smaller than the 130 and 114 kg heavier Norwegian and Swedish Red cows.