<strong>Introduction:</strong><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> The true etiology of pelvic organ p...<strong>Introduction:</strong><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> The true etiology of pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence and variations observed among individuals are not entirely understood. Tactile (stress) and ultrasound (anatomy, strain) image fusion may furnish new insights into the female pelvic floor conditions. This study aimed to explore imaging performance and clinical value of vaginal tactile and ultrasound image fusion for characterization of the female pelvic floor. </span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Methods:</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> A novel probe with 96 tactile and 192 ultrasound transducers was designed. Women scheduled for a urogynecological visit were considered eligible for enrollment to observational study. Intravaginal tactile and ultrasound images were acquired for vaginal wall deformations at probe insertion, elevation, rotation, Valsalva maneuver, voluntary contractions, involuntary relaxation, and reflex pelvic muscle contractions. Biomechanical mapping has included tactile/ultrasound imaging and functional imaging. </span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Results:</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Twenty women were successfully studied with the probe. Tactile and ultrasound images for tissues deformation as well as functional images were recorded. Tactile (stress) and ultrasound (strain) images allowed creation of stress-strain maps for the tissues of interest in absolute scale. Functional images allowed identification of active pelvic structures and their biomechanical characterization (anatomical measurements, contractive mobility and strength). Fusion of the modalities has allowed recognition and characterization of levator ani muscles (pubococcygeal, puborectal, iliococcygeal), perineum, urethral and anorectal complexes critical in prolapse and/or incontinence development. </span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Conclusions:</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Vaginal tactile and ultrasound image fusion provides unique data for biomechanical characterization of the female pelvic floor. Bringing novel biomechanical characterization for critical soft tissues/structures may provide extended scientific knowledge and improve clinical practice.</span></span></span></span>展开更多
Background: Premature cervical softening and shortening may be considered an early mechanical failure that predispose to preterm birth. Purpose: This study aims to explore the applicability of an innovative cervical t...Background: Premature cervical softening and shortening may be considered an early mechanical failure that predispose to preterm birth. Purpose: This study aims to explore the applicability of an innovative cervical tactile ultrasound approach for predicting spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). Materials and Methods: Eligible participants were women with low-risk singleton pregnancies in their second trimester, enrolled in this prospective observational study. A Cervix Monitor (CM) device was designed with a vaginal probe comprising four tactile sensors and a single ultrasound transducer operating at 5 MHz. The probe enabled the application of controllable pressure to the external cervical surface, facilitating the acquisition of stress-strain data from both anterior and posterior cervical sectors. Gestational age at delivery was recorded and compared against cervical elasticity. Results: CM examination data were analyzed for 127 women at 24<sup>0/7</sup> - 28<sup>6/7</sup> gestational weeks. sPTB was observed in 6.3% of the cases. The preterm group exhibited a lower average cervical stress-to-strain ratio (elasticity) of 0.70 ± 0.26 kPa/mm compared to the term group’s 1.63 ± 0.65 kPa/mm with a p-value of 1.1 × 10<sup>−</sup><sup>4</sup>. Diagnostic accuracy for predicting spontaneous preterm birth based solely on cervical elasticity data was found to be 95.0% (95% CI, 88.5 - 100.0). Conclusion: These findings suggest that measuring cervical elasticity with the designed tactile ultrasound probe has the potential to predict spontaneous preterm birth in a cost-effective manner.展开更多
Digital twin technology, originally developed for intricate physical systems, holds great potential in women’s healthcare, particularly in the management of pelvic floor disorders. This paper delves into the developm...Digital twin technology, originally developed for intricate physical systems, holds great potential in women’s healthcare, particularly in the management of pelvic floor disorders. This paper delves into the development of a digital twin specifically for the female pelvic floor, which can amalgamate various data sources such as imaging, biomechanical assessments, and patient-reported outcomes to offer personalized diagnostic and therapeutic insights. Through the utilization of 3D modeling and machine learning, the digital twin may facilitate precise visualization, prediction, and individualized treatment planning. Nevertheless, it is crucial to address the ethical and practical challenges related to data privacy and ensuring fair access. As this technology progresses, it has the potential to revolutionize gynecological and obstetric care by enhancing diagnostics, customizing treatments, and increasing patient involvement.展开更多
文摘<strong>Introduction:</strong><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> The true etiology of pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence and variations observed among individuals are not entirely understood. Tactile (stress) and ultrasound (anatomy, strain) image fusion may furnish new insights into the female pelvic floor conditions. This study aimed to explore imaging performance and clinical value of vaginal tactile and ultrasound image fusion for characterization of the female pelvic floor. </span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Methods:</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> A novel probe with 96 tactile and 192 ultrasound transducers was designed. Women scheduled for a urogynecological visit were considered eligible for enrollment to observational study. Intravaginal tactile and ultrasound images were acquired for vaginal wall deformations at probe insertion, elevation, rotation, Valsalva maneuver, voluntary contractions, involuntary relaxation, and reflex pelvic muscle contractions. Biomechanical mapping has included tactile/ultrasound imaging and functional imaging. </span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Results:</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Twenty women were successfully studied with the probe. Tactile and ultrasound images for tissues deformation as well as functional images were recorded. Tactile (stress) and ultrasound (strain) images allowed creation of stress-strain maps for the tissues of interest in absolute scale. Functional images allowed identification of active pelvic structures and their biomechanical characterization (anatomical measurements, contractive mobility and strength). Fusion of the modalities has allowed recognition and characterization of levator ani muscles (pubococcygeal, puborectal, iliococcygeal), perineum, urethral and anorectal complexes critical in prolapse and/or incontinence development. </span><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Conclusions:</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> Vaginal tactile and ultrasound image fusion provides unique data for biomechanical characterization of the female pelvic floor. Bringing novel biomechanical characterization for critical soft tissues/structures may provide extended scientific knowledge and improve clinical practice.</span></span></span></span>
文摘Background: Premature cervical softening and shortening may be considered an early mechanical failure that predispose to preterm birth. Purpose: This study aims to explore the applicability of an innovative cervical tactile ultrasound approach for predicting spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). Materials and Methods: Eligible participants were women with low-risk singleton pregnancies in their second trimester, enrolled in this prospective observational study. A Cervix Monitor (CM) device was designed with a vaginal probe comprising four tactile sensors and a single ultrasound transducer operating at 5 MHz. The probe enabled the application of controllable pressure to the external cervical surface, facilitating the acquisition of stress-strain data from both anterior and posterior cervical sectors. Gestational age at delivery was recorded and compared against cervical elasticity. Results: CM examination data were analyzed for 127 women at 24<sup>0/7</sup> - 28<sup>6/7</sup> gestational weeks. sPTB was observed in 6.3% of the cases. The preterm group exhibited a lower average cervical stress-to-strain ratio (elasticity) of 0.70 ± 0.26 kPa/mm compared to the term group’s 1.63 ± 0.65 kPa/mm with a p-value of 1.1 × 10<sup>−</sup><sup>4</sup>. Diagnostic accuracy for predicting spontaneous preterm birth based solely on cervical elasticity data was found to be 95.0% (95% CI, 88.5 - 100.0). Conclusion: These findings suggest that measuring cervical elasticity with the designed tactile ultrasound probe has the potential to predict spontaneous preterm birth in a cost-effective manner.
文摘Digital twin technology, originally developed for intricate physical systems, holds great potential in women’s healthcare, particularly in the management of pelvic floor disorders. This paper delves into the development of a digital twin specifically for the female pelvic floor, which can amalgamate various data sources such as imaging, biomechanical assessments, and patient-reported outcomes to offer personalized diagnostic and therapeutic insights. Through the utilization of 3D modeling and machine learning, the digital twin may facilitate precise visualization, prediction, and individualized treatment planning. Nevertheless, it is crucial to address the ethical and practical challenges related to data privacy and ensuring fair access. As this technology progresses, it has the potential to revolutionize gynecological and obstetric care by enhancing diagnostics, customizing treatments, and increasing patient involvement.
