Perineal ultrasound in the study of urethral mobility: proposal of a normal physiological range

The aim of the study was to determine, using perineal ultrasound, the physiological range for urethral mobility in normal women. Sixty healthy women were enrolled. The ultrasound parameters obtained with a perineal "static" and "dynamic" evaluation method were: pubic-urethral distance and inclination angle of the urethral axis. We propose a physiological range of pubic-urethral distance under stress in young women between 10 and 15 mm, the inclination angle of the urethral axis is between 60 and 100 degrees. In peri-post-menopause women we establish a non-rigid range of mobility in relation to age and parity: between 15 and 18 mm for the pubis-urethra distance and 80 degrees and 120 degrees for the angle of the urethral axis. Defining a range of normality for urethral mobility through ultrasound is useful for further studying therapeutic choices and help to identify the surgical correction and post-operative follow-up.