Roos, A-M.Abdool, ZeelhaSultan, Abdul H.Thakar, Ranee2011-04-012011-04-012011Roos A-M, et al., The diagnostic accuracy of endovaginal and transperineal ultrasound for detecting anal sphincter defects : the PREDICT study, Clinical Radiology (2011), doi:10.1016/j.crad.2010.11.0170009-9260 (print)1365-229X (online)10.1016/j.crad.2010.11.017http://hdl.handle.net/2263/16170AIM: To determine the accuracy and predictive value of transperineal (TPU) and endovaginal ultrasound (EVU) in the detection of anal sphincter defects in women with obstetric anal sphincter injuries and/or postpartum symptoms of faecal incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and sixty-five women were recruited, four women were excluded as they were seen years after their last delivery. TPU and EVU, followed by endonanal ultrasound (EAU), were performed using the B&K Viking 2400 scanner. Sensitivity and specificity, as well as predictive values with 95% confidence intervals, for detecting anal sphincter defects were calculated for EVU and TPU, using EAU as the reference standard. RESULTS: On EAU a defect was found in 42 (26%) women: 39 (93%) had an external (EAS) and 23 (55%) an internal anal sphincter (IAS) defect. Analysable images of one level of the EAS combined with an analysable IAS were available in 140 (87%) women for EVU and in 131 (81%) for TPU. The sensitivity and specificity for the detection of any defect was 48% (30e67%) and 85% (77e91%) for EVU and 64% (44e81%) and 85% (77e91%) for TPU, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although EAU using a rotating endoprobe is the validated reference standard in the identification of anal sphincter defects, it is not universally available. However while TPU and/or EVU with conventional ultrasound probes can be useful in identifying normality, for clinical purposes they are not sensitive enough to identify an underlying sphincter defect.en© 2011 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.EndovaginalTransperineal ultrasoundAnal sphincterDiagnostic ultrasonic imagingAnus -- DiseasesRectum -- ProlapseRotational motionPostprint Article