Magnetic resonance imaging of male and female genitals during coitus and female sexual arousal

Objective To find out whether taking images of the male and female genitals during coitus is feasible and to find out whether former and current ideas about the anatomy during sexual intercourse and during female sexual arous al are based on assumptions or on facts. Design Observational study Setting University hospital in the Netherlands. Methods Magnetic resonance imaging was used to study are female sexual resp onse and the male and female genitals during coitus. Thirteen experiments w ere performed with eight couples and three single women. Results The images obtained showed that during intercourse in the "missiona ry position" the penis has the shape of a boomerang and 1/3 of its length c onsists of the root of the penis. During female sexual arousal without inte rcourse the uterus was raised and the anterior vaginal wall lengthened. The size of the uterus did not increase during sexual arousal. Conclusion Taking magnetic resonance images of the male and female genitals during coitus is feasible and contributes to understanding of anatomy.