Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 14, Issue 3 205-209, Copyright © 1995 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Sonographic detection of free pelvic peritoneal fluid
M. A. Schellpfeffer
Transvaginal ultrasonography was performed on 113 women prior to
laparoscopic sterilization. The amount and character of the peritoneal
fluid present in the pelvis was assessed at the end of the operative
procedure. Sonographically, free pelvic peritoneal fluid was seen in 42.5%
of the patients. Laparoscopically, the average amount of fluid present was
11.2 ml with an average of 16.5 ml present in patients with FPPF and 7.2 ml
present in patients without FPPF (P < 0.0001). Sonographic measurement
of fluid volume was found to significantly underestimate the amount of
fluid present at laparoscopy (P ² 0.0001). Endometriosis and pelvic
adhesions significantly changed the sonographic findings.
