Uterine anatomy and function on cine magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

The female reproductive organ undergoes dynamic morphological changes under the influence of hormonal stimuli, and particularly those mediated by estrogen and progesterone. The uterus changes both its morphological appearance and its functional movements in function of these influences. Functionally, the uterus is known to exert two kinds of inherent contractility: sustained uterine contractions and uterine peristalsis. The former is focal and consists of the sporadic bulging of the myometrium, while the latter is rhythmic and manifests itself as the subtle stripping movement in the subendometrial myometrium. The mechanisms underlying these uterine movements, their relationship and their correlation to age, pharmaceutical administration, and a variety of gynecologic and obstetrical problems remain under discussion. Cine MR imaging may offer the potential to directly observe the changes undergone by the uterus in relation to important functions such as fertility and menstrual problems.