Ectopic pregnancy diagnosis and the pseudo-sac.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of an ultrasound finding of a pseudo-sac (PS), a uterine sac without a double decidual ring or a yolk sac, on the management of cases with possible ectopic pregnancy.


METHODS
A retrospective review of a series of cases.


METHODS
A general hospital.


METHODS
Seventy-seven patients who had a diagnostic laparoscopy over a period of 3 years for suspected ectopic pregnancy.


METHODS
A logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of the ultrasound finding of a PS on predicting a negative finding at laparoscopy.


RESULTS
The report of a PS is significantly associated with a false-positive diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.


CONCLUSIONS
A diagnosis of PS should not be interpreted as indicative of an ectopic pregnancy because radiological differentiation between an early intrauterine pregnancy failure and an ectopic pregnancy is not possible.
Ahmed
Ahmed A
AA
Medical Research Council, Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Public Health, University Forvite Site, Cambridge, United Kingdom. aaa42@cam.ac.uk
Tom
Brian D M
BD
Calabrese
Peter
P
D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014599:Uterus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; C023888:beta-hexachlorocyclohexane