Female genitalia: dynamic mr imaging with use of ms-325— initial experiences evaluating female sexual response1

Radiology

Anastasia V. Deliganis, MD Kenneth R. Maravilla, MD Julia R. Heiman, PhD Wayne O. Carter, PhD, DVM Patricia A. Garland, BA Barry T. Peterson, PhD Lucianne Hackbert, PhD Yunyu Cao, MD, MS Robert M. Weisskoff, PhD
Index terms: Gadolinium Magnetic resonance (MR), contrast media, 855.12143 Magnetic resonance (MR), volume measurement, 855.12144 Vagina, 855.91 Vagina, MR, 855.121412,855.121416, 855.12143, 855.12144 Published online before print 10.1148/radiol.2253011160 Radiology 2002; 225:791–799 Abbreviations: ROI region of interest rRBV relative regional blood volume
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Female Genitalia: Dynamic MR Imaging with Use of MS-325— Initial Experiences Evaluating Female Sexual Response1
PURPOSE: To determine whether magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with MS-325, a recentlydeveloped blood pool contrast agent, can depict sexual arousal response in healthy women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serial MR imaging of the external genitalia was performed in 12 healthy sexually functional women before and after administration of MS-325. MR images were obtained every 3 minutes during a 45-minute examination. During the examination, the subjects viewed neutral and erotic video materialwhile they were in the magnet bore. MR image analysis at each interval consisted of vaginal wall, vaginal mucosa, and clitoris assessments; femoral vein signal intensity measurements; relative regional blood volume (rRBV) calculations; and clitoral volume measurements. Statistical analysis of the results was performed with a t test. RESULTS: On subjective questionnaires, all subjects in the test groupreported being sexually aroused. MS-325– enhanced MR images showed strong contrast enhancement of the external genitalia. The rRBV in the glans clitoris of seven of 10 subjects and in the clitoral body of eight of these subjects increased significantly (P .05) during erotic visual stimulation. All 10 subjects had a significant (P .05) increase in clitoral size. There were no significant differencesin any measures between the pre- and postmenopausal study groups. CONCLUSION: The sexual arousal response in healthy women can be monitored at serial MR imaging with MS-325. This examination holds promise for future studies of sexual arousal dysfunction in women.
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From the Departments of Radiology (A.V.D., K.R.M., P.A.G., Y.C.) and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (J.R.H., L.H.), Universityof Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Box 357115, Seattle, WA 98195-7115; Pfizer, Groton, Conn (W.O.C., B.T.P.); and EPIX Medical, Cambridge, Mass (R.M.W.). From the 1999 RSNA scientific assembly. Received July 9, 2001; revision requested August 2; final revision received May 20, 2002; accepted June 18. Supported in part by Pfizer and EPIX Medical. Address correspondence to K.R.M. (e-mail:kmarav@u.washington.edu).

RSNA, 2002

Author contributions: Guarantors of integrity of entire study, all authors; study concepts, K.R.M., W.O.C., R.M.W., J.R.H.; study design, A.V.D., K.R.M., W.O.C., R.M.W.; literature research, A.V.D., K.R.M., R.M.W., J.R.H.; clinical and experimental studies, A.V.D., K.R.M.; data acquisition, A.V.D., K.R.M.; data analysis/interpretation, all authors; statisticalanalysis, R.M.W., Y.C.; manuscript preparation, A.V.D., K.R.M.; manuscript definition of intellectual content, editing, revision/review, and final version approval, all authors.
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RSNA, 2002

Sexual dysfunction is an important health issue to millions of women. Recent study results have shown that 30%–50% of all women have some form of sexual dysfunction (1–3). Data from a National Health and SocialLife survey of 1,749 women in the United States indicate that 43% of these women had symptoms of sexual dysfunction (3). In a similar investigation among men, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction was reported to be 31% (3). Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of male sexual dysfunction, efforts to study female sexual dysfunction have lagged, in part because of the lack of a reliable...