Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 12, Issue 1 49-54, Copyright © 1993 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Sonographically guided laparoscopy and mediastinoscopy using miniature catheter-based transducers
B. B. Goldberg, J. B. Liu, D. A. Merton, R. I. Feld, L. S. Miller, H. E. Cohn, D. Barbot, D. R. Gillum, J. J. Vernick and C. A. Winkel
Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Miniature ultrasound transducers (12.5 MHz) housed in 9 Fr catheters were
passed through a laparoscope or mediastinoscope to image a variety of
normal and abnormal structures within the peritoneal cavity and mediastinum
in 20 patients. These transducers made it possible to visualize the
gallbladder and bile ducts and evaluate for the presence of stones, to
detect masses and provide guidance for their aspiration or biopsy, and to
image the internal structures of the ovary and fallopian tube. In addition,
these miniature transducers were used to locate such normal vital
structures as blood vessels, thereby allowing the surgeon to decide on the
best approach for dissection during mediastinoscopy. During conventional
surgery, the surgeon or gynecologist can palpate an area of abnormality not
directly visualized. However, during laparoscopy and mediastinoscopy direct
palpation is not possible. Therefore, it is important to find another
method to determine what structures lie beneath the visualized surface.
These miniature ultrasound transducers appear to offer a means for making
such determinations.
