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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Three-dimensional Reconstruction of the Vascular Architecture of the Passive CLARITY-cleared Mouse Ovary
Published on: December 10, 2017
PCOS and urethrovaginal space: 3-D volumetric and vascular analysis
Cesare Battaglia1, Rossella Elena Nappi, Fulvia Mancini
1Department of Gynecology and Pathophysiology of Human Reproduction, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Italy. cesare.battaglia@unibo.it
Introduction:
The vaginal orgasm seems to be evocated by the stimulation of the G-spot: a highly sensitive area on the anterior wall of the human vagina. However, the existence of such a spot is controversial.
Aim:
To evaluate, by the use of three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasonography, the anatomic structures of the urethrovaginal space both in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) patients and eumenorrheic non-hirsute controls.
Methods:
Twenty-three (Group I) PCOS patients and 25 eumenorrheic young women (Group II) were submitted to two-dimensional (2-D) and 3-D ultrasonography and color Doppler analysis of the urethrovaginal space and of the clitoris.
Main Outcome Measures:
2-D ultrasonographic evaluation of the ovaries and of the urethrovaginal space; color Doppler evaluation of the ovarian stromal arteries, urethrovaginal main feeding artery, and dorsal clitoral arteries; 3-D volume calculation of the urethrovaginal space, and 3-D power Doppler analysis of the vascularization index; flow index; and vascularization flow index; hormonal evaluation.
Results:
The vaginal orgasm was present in 13/23 (56%) patients in PCOS Group and in 13/25 (52%) in the controls. The 3-D reconstruction of the urethrovaginal space demonstrated a gland-like aspect with small feeding vessels: "female prostate." The 3-D mean volume of the "female prostate" was significantly higher in Group I (0.48 ± 0.21 mL) than in Group II (0.39 ± 0.19 mL; P = 0.044). The Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLys (VOCAL) built mean volume of the "female prostate" was positively correlated with the time since intercourse (r = 0.486; P = 0.032), with the total length of the urethrovaginal space (r = 0.616; P = 0.025) and with the testosterone (r = 0.424; P = 0.048) circulating values.
Conclusions:
The presence of the G-spot and its role in vaginal orgasm remains controversial. In Italians, and normal weight PCOS patients the hyperandrogenism seems to result in ovarian stromal and "female prostate" hyperplasia.
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