title: Sonoelastography of the uterine cervix as a new diagnostic tool of cervical assessment in pregnant women - preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed at determining whether there exists a correlation between the cervical cohesion parameters assessed in the elastography and the length of the cervix.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessment of cervical cohesion parameters with the use of real-time sonoelastography was performed on 59 patients between 28 and 39 weeks of gestation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis showed that there exists a statistically significant (p=0.033) correlation between the cervical length and the elasticity of the front cervical labium (strain ratio A). Correlation coefficient (r) stood at (-) 0.28.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1. There exists a negative correlation between the condition on the front cervical labium in elastographic imaging and the length of the cervical canal in USG imaging. 2. Elastography of the uterine cervix may be helpful in assessing the risk of premature labour or cervical insufficiency. 3. There is a need to perform a study on a larger group of patients in order to determine whether elastography may find its place among routine obstetric diagnostic methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland, ul. Borowska 213, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland. tfuchs@o2.pl
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Woytoń
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pomorski
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wiatrowski
authors.forename: Nadim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Slejman
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomiałowicz
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Florjański
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Milnerowicz-Nabzdyk
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimmer
mesh_terms: D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003944:Diagnostic Techniques, Obstetrical and Gynecological; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*