TY - JOUR
T1 - Transvaginal Doppler sonography for detecting ectopic pregnancy
T2 - Is it really necessary
AU - Achiron, R.
AU - Goldenberg, M.
AU - Lipitz, S.
AU - Mashiach, S.
AU - Oelsner, G.
PY - 1994/11
Y1 - 1994/11
N2 - In this prospective study we compared transvaginal duplex Doppler ultrasound with two-dimensional imaging for the diagnosis or exclusion of ectopic pregnancies. The study group comprised 76 stable patients with serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels > 100 mIU/ml in whom ectopic pregnancy was clinically suspected. Ectopic pregnancies were verified in 42 patients (60%), intrauterine pregnancies (normal and abnormal) in 19 (27%), and possible complete abortions, either intrauterine or extrauterine, in 9 patients (13%). Based on 2-D imaging alone, the appearance of an adnexal mass separated from the ovaries, and a lack of clear intrauterine gestational sac indicated ectopic pregnancy with a sensitivity of 95%. Intrauterine sac-like structures and absence of adnexal masses excluded ectopic pregnancies with a specificity of 89%. High velocity systolic flow, and low impedance diastolic flow which characterizes trophoblastic tissue when detected outside the uterus, had a sensitivity of 48%, while the presence of trophoblastic signals in the uterus or their absence outside the uterus excluded ectopic pregnancies with a specificity of 89%. The positive predictive values were 91% for Doppler and 95% for 2-D imaging, while the negative predictive values were 89% for imaging alone and 44% for Doppler. These data suggest that transvaginal Doppler ultrasound has significant lower sensitivity and negative predictive value and does not provide more useful diagnostic information than 2-D imaging alone for stable patients with suspected ectopic pregnancies.
AB - In this prospective study we compared transvaginal duplex Doppler ultrasound with two-dimensional imaging for the diagnosis or exclusion of ectopic pregnancies. The study group comprised 76 stable patients with serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels > 100 mIU/ml in whom ectopic pregnancy was clinically suspected. Ectopic pregnancies were verified in 42 patients (60%), intrauterine pregnancies (normal and abnormal) in 19 (27%), and possible complete abortions, either intrauterine or extrauterine, in 9 patients (13%). Based on 2-D imaging alone, the appearance of an adnexal mass separated from the ovaries, and a lack of clear intrauterine gestational sac indicated ectopic pregnancy with a sensitivity of 95%. Intrauterine sac-like structures and absence of adnexal masses excluded ectopic pregnancies with a specificity of 89%. High velocity systolic flow, and low impedance diastolic flow which characterizes trophoblastic tissue when detected outside the uterus, had a sensitivity of 48%, while the presence of trophoblastic signals in the uterus or their absence outside the uterus excluded ectopic pregnancies with a specificity of 89%. The positive predictive values were 91% for Doppler and 95% for 2-D imaging, while the negative predictive values were 89% for imaging alone and 44% for Doppler. These data suggest that transvaginal Doppler ultrasound has significant lower sensitivity and negative predictive value and does not provide more useful diagnostic information than 2-D imaging alone for stable patients with suspected ectopic pregnancies.
KW - Doppler
KW - Ectopic pregnancy
KW - Transvaginal ultrasonograhy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0028533671&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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AN - SCOPUS:0028533671
SN - 0021-2180
VL - 30
SP - 820
EP - 825
JO - Israel Journal of Medical Sciences
JF - Israel Journal of Medical Sciences
IS - 11
ER -