title: The ultrasonographic appearance of ovarian ectopic pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ultrasonographic findings of ovarian ectopic pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ultrasonographic reports, videotapes, medical records, and operative summaries were reviewed for all women with a confirmed diagnosis of an ovarian ectopic pregnancy. Examinations were personally conducted by a physician who was either a radiologist-obstetrician or an obstetrician-maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six cases were identified in the 13-year period studied. Menstrual ages ranged from 6 to 9 2/7 weeks. Most (5/6) patients had abdominal pain, with 3 demonstrating it before or at 7 weeks gestation. A wide echogenic ring with an internal echolucent area was seen in 5 of 6 patients; 1 of these also contained a yolk sac, and in another, fetal heart motion could be seen. The echogenic ring seemed to be on the surface of the ovary or within the substance of the ovary in all 5 patients. The echogenicity of the ring was greater than that of the ovary in the 5 patients in whom it was identified. At surgery, the ovarian pregnancies had the appearance of a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst in all 6 patients. In the patient in whom no echogenic ring was seen the pregnancy had ruptured. All 6 cases were biopsy proven.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ovarian pregnancies usually appeared on or within the ovary as a cyst with a wide echogenic outside ring. A yolk sac or embryo was less commonly seen. The appearance of the contents lagged in comparison with the gestational age. Early abdominal pain was common.
authors.affiliation: Division of Fetal Imaging, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan 48009, USA. ccomstock@beaumont.edu
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Comstock
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huston
authors.forename: Wesley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010053:Ovary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014463:Ultrasonography