Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 10, Issue 10 583-590, Copyright © 1991 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Endoluminal gynecologic ultrasound: preliminary results
B. B. Goldberg, J. B. Liu, K. Kuhlman, D. A. Merton and A. B. Kurtz
Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5244.
Specially developed high-resolution real-time ultrasound transducers (12.5
and 20 MHz) on the tip of endoluminal catheters were inserted into the
endometrial canal to evaluate the usefulness of this approach. Uterine
abnormalities, most confirmed by biopsy, surgery, or both, were detected in
12 patients, including submucosal myomas, nabothian cysts, endometrial
polyps, synechiae, and endometrial and cervical carcinoma. In one case the
catheter was directed under hysteroscopic guidance into a fallopian tube,
demonstrating its potential usefulness in this region. In 4 of the 12 cases
in which a hysterectomy was performed, an in vitro ultrasound examination
of the organ was performed, which confirmed the initial in vivo ultrasound
impressions. Anatomic cross-sectional slices of the uterus resulted in
excellent correlation with the ultrasound findings. These preliminary
results suggest that this new sonographic procedure will become an
important diagnostic tool, supplementing abdominal and endovaginal
ultrasound approaches.
