title: Ectopic pregnancy. Diagnosis by sonography correlated with quantitative HCG levels.
abstract: Pelvic sonograms were correlated with simultaneous human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) determinations in 150 women with early intrauterine pregnancy (N = 76) and ectopic pregnancy (N = 74). Of the 76 patients with intrauterine pregnancy (IUP), 55 had HCG levels exceeding 1,800 mIU/ml (Second International Standard), and in each case a gestational sac was identified. In comparison, 35 of 74 (47%) patients with ectopic pregnancy had HCG levels of 1,800 mIU/ml or more, and no case demonstrated a gestational sac. Although six patients (8%) with ectopic pregnancy demonstrated a "pseudogestational sac," no case was confused with a true gestational sac. We conclude that, when the HCG level exceeds 1,800 mIU/ml, an intrauterine gestational sac is normally detected and its absence is evidence for an ectopic pregnancy.
mesh_terms: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin