title: Transvaginal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of cystic teratoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess prospectively the role of transvaginal ultrasonography in screening for cystic teratoma and in differentiating cystic teratoma from other ovarian masses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred seventy-six premenopausal non-pregnant women underwent transvaginal ultrasonography 1 week before undergoing laparotomy or laparoscopy. The visualization of localized or diffuse echogenicity was chosen as the characteristic ultrasonographic finding of cystic teratoma. Endosonographic diagnosis was compared with surgical and pathologic findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensitivity and specificity for the ultrasonographic screening were 57.9 and 99.7%, respectively, calculated for each visualized ovary (n = 659), and 84.6 and 98.2%, respectively, for differentiating cystic teratoma from other ovarian masses, calculated for each visualized cyst (n = 123).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transvaginal ultrasonography has a better predictive ability for differentiating cystic teratoma from other ovarian masses (kappa value 0.84) than in screening for cystic teratomas (kappa value 0.69).
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mais
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guerriero
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ajossa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angiolucci
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Paoletti
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Melis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017697:Premenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013724:Teratoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods; D014621:Vagina