Vaginal Tactile Imager (VTI)

Principle of Operation

The Vaginal Tactile Imager (VTI) allows acquisition of the pressures applied to vaginal walls along the probe to visualize vaginal and pelvic floor support structures, and to record pelvic floor muscle contraction patterns. The VTI software provides data visualization, analysis, information and reporting tools. The acquired data can then be used for quantitative assessment of the vaginal and pelvic floor conditions.

The VTI probe is equipped with 96 pressure (tactile) sensors, a motion tracking system and a temperature controller. During the patient examination procedure, data are sampled from the probe sensors and displayed in high definition. The probe surfaces that contact the vaginal walls are preheated to human body temperature. A lubricating jelly is used for patient comfort and to provide reproducible boundary/contact conditions. The VTI allows assessment of tissue elasticity, pelvic floor support, muscle tone and function.

Indications for Use

The Vaginal Tactile Imager (VTI) obtains a high resolution mapping of pressures and assesses the strength of pelvic floor muscles within the vagina. The real time data as well the analysis information can then be viewed with an intention of assisting in the diagnosis and evaluation. The device is intended for use by physicians, surgeons and medically trained personnel.

Clinical Utility

The female pelvic structures have varying viscoelastic characteristics across physiological states, healthy and diseased conditions. The VTI provides a large body of measurements to evaluate individual variations in support defects as well as identify specific potential markers to measure soft tissue properties and muscle function in patients with POP, SUI, tissue atrophy and pelvic pain.

The further progress in women's healthcare is possible if a patient with a problematic pelvic floor conditions could undergo opportunely imaging and biomechanical diagnostic tests; the results of which could be fed into a structured patient-specific diagnostic workflow to consider multiple treatment options and to suggest the optimal one for that patient. The VTI allows a diagnostic study to obtain structure and functional information about vagina, pelvic floor muscles and ligaments.

The VTI procedures (8 tests) has a new CPT Code for "Biomechanical mapping, tranvaginal, with report".

The VTI may be used for: