title: Accuracy in diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy by transvaginal ultrasonography.
abstract: Forty patients suspected to have ectopic pregnancy by transvaginal ultrasonography had surgery. 77.5% were confirmed to have ectopic pregnancy and 10% had other abnormal pelvic findings. The transvaginal approach appears to enable us to diagnose ectopic pregnancy at an earlier date, with the earliest diagnosis made at 4 weeks 0 days of amenorrhoea. In cases of confirmed ectopic pregnancy, the presence of a complex adnexal mass was the most common feature seen on transvaginal ultrasound and its predictability of ectopic pregnancy is enhanced by a concomitant finding of an empty uterus (95%) or free fluid in the Pouch of Douglas (94%) in the presence of a positive hCG test. The significance of transvaginal ultrasound features, and the advantages of transvaginal over transabdominal ultrasound, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anandakumar
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodenburg
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ratnam
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014621:Vagina