Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of pelvic floor disorders

Vaginal prolapse due to pelvic floor dysfunction occurs frequently in postmenopausal women. The disease usually involves all compartments of the vagina, so that isolated defects are uncommon. In advanced disease, it can be difficult to identify which organs are prolapsed, owing to the large bulge in vaginal area. Accurate diagnosis of pelvic floor defects, actual prolapsed organs, and presence of any coexisting abnormalities are essential to correctly plan surgical reconstruction and minimize the risk of recurrence. In this review, we discuss the existing imaging modalities available to evaluate pelvic prolapse, emphasizing the role of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging.