Pelvic floor muscles after prostate radiation therapy: morpho-functional assessment by magnetic resonance imaging, surface electromyography and digital anal palpation

ABSTRACT Aim: To evaluate the radiotherapy (RT) effect in the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) function in men with prostate cancer (PC). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study included three groups of patients with PC and RT indication: 1) Pre-RT group: evaluated before the beginning of RT; 2) Acute group: evaluated between six months and one year after RT; 3) Late Group: evaluated between two and a half years and four years post-RT. PFM assessment was divided into: a) functional assessment through the digital anal palpation (Modified Oxford Scale) and surface electromyography (sEMG) with anal probe; b) anatomical assessment by pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with thickness measurements of levator ani muscle and pelvic specific parameters at rest and under Valsalva maneuver. We used Student t test, considering as significant p