[Diagnosis of intramural pregnancy by endoluminal color Doppler ultrasonography and review of the literature].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the ultrasound characteristics of intramural pregnancy and evaluate its diagnostic value.


METHODS
Intramural pregnancy was diagnosed by endoluminal ultrasonography and confirmed by surgery and pathological examination in 6 patients. The position of the gestational sac, ultrasound findings, distribution of color Doppler flow signals were observed and analyzed together with their surgical and pathological results based on literature review.


RESULTS
There were three types of ultrasound characteristics: gestational cyst type, mass type and uterine rupture type. The gestational cyst type or mass type presented with an empty uterus and a gestational sac or mixed mass was found in the myometrium, which can be separated from the endometrium. The sac or mass did not communicate with the uterine cavity, and abundant blood flow was observed about the sac or in the mass, while massive hemoperitoneum was found in the uterine rupture type.


CONCLUSIONS
Endoluminal ultrasound is of high value in the diagnosis of intramural pregnancy.
Luo
Zhuo-qiong
ZQ
Department of Ultrasound, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China. ritaluozhq@sina.com
Zhou
Ping
P
Gao
Feng
F
He
Wei
W
Luo
Sheng-juan
SJ
D000328:Adult; D019160:Endosonography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009215:Myometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*