Ultrasonic pelvimetry. A method for preliminary estimation of the pelvic outlet

Vaginal sound, with transmitter crystals of 2 MHz, is used when measuring the interspinous diameter. The echo from pelvic wall, the effect on the measured spinal diameter by altering the position of the ultrasonic transmitter, and the influence of air or faeces between the ultrasound transmitter and the pelvic wall, have been analysed in a series of model trials on a dummy submerged in water. Thereafter clinical trials were performed on 102 women, pregnant in their 9th month. The results obtained when measuring the interspinous diameter on the ultrasonic tomogram were compared with the results obtained when measuring the same distance on a frontal x-ray picture taken using the orthographic technique according to Borell-Frenström. The method is suitable for selecting those cases with suspect constriction of the pelvic outlet for an x-ray examination by the Borell-Fernström technique.