CONVENTIONAL AND DOPPLER TRANSVAGINAL SONOGRAPHY COMPARISON WITH TRANSABDOMINAL SONOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF ADNEXAL MASSES

Abstract

The major structures of interest in the female pelvis for sonography are the uterus and ovaries Individual organs and fine structures are better imaged by transvaginal technique than transabdominal approach. Transvaginal ultrasonography has provided new anatomic and pathophysiologic information about the female pelvis. Because of probe proximity to the organ of interest and higher insonating frequency, resolution is dramatically improved. Problems previously encountered during transabdominal scanning, such as obesity, bowel gas, and a retroverted uterus, no longer preclude accurate diagnosis. Patient acceptance is nearly universal. . A large adnexal mass can not be fully visualized by the transvaginal approach because portions of the mass, or even all the mass, will fall outside the focal length of the probe. By comparison, transabdominal transducers allow for global visualization of any large mass.