Quality assessment of transperineal ultrasound in Chinese tertiary medical centers: a multicenter study

BACKGROUND: Transperineal ultrasound (TPUS) is a vital examination method for diagnosing pelvic floor diseases. However, the quality of TPUS largely relies on the operator's experience, and there is a lack of studies on the evaluation of TPUS quality. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the quality of TPUS examinations in Chinese tertiary medical centers. METHODS: This multicenter study conducted in 44 Chinese tertiary medical centers recruited postpartum women between September 2020 and September 2021. All participants underwent a standardized inquiry and TPUS examination. The participating centers were required to submit 5 parts of ultrasound data to the National Ultrasound Quality Control Center: 2-dimensional images at rest, 2-dimensional images at strain; 4-dimensional images of the levator ani hiatus; 4-dimensional images of the levator ani muscle; and 4-dimensional images of the anal sphincter. Quality assessment was performed by 2 experts with more than 5 years of experience in TPUS, and the reasons for nonqualification were stated. RESULTS: In this study, 31 hospitals that were distributed across 20 provinces in China were included, submitting 2,251 cases in total. The overall qualified rate ranged from 12.00% to 86.92%. In each part, the qualified rate of 2-dimensional images at rest, 2-dimensional images at straining, levator ani hiatus, levator ani muscle, and anal sphincter was 94.27% (2,122/2,251), 78.54% (1,768/2,251), 85.52% (1,925/2,251), 93.03% (2,094/2,251), and 88.09% (1,983/2,251), respectively. Most of the nonqualified images belonged to 2-dimensional images at strain, and the errors in image acquisition (221/483, 45.76%) and measurement (262/483, 54.24%) were the main reasons for nonqualification. For levator ani hiatus images, error in image acquisition (275/326, 84.36%) was the main reason for nonqualification. Reconstruction error was the most common reason for nonqualification for levator ani muscle (133/157, 84.71%) and anal sphincter images (133/268, 49.63%). CONCLUSIONS: This multicenter study assessed the quality of TPUS in tertiary medical centers in China and identified the common reasons for nonqualification in each part. These findings can aid in forming the basis for quality control management and training for TPUS.