Doppler Imaging of the Uterus and Adnexae

Uterine fibroid vascularization: from morphological evidence to clinical implications

Uterine fibroids are the most common cause of solid pelvic tumours, occurring in 20-30% of fertile women and presenting clinical complications that seriously affect women's health. They commonly cause severe symptoms, such as heavy, prolonged menstrual bleeding and anaemia. The study of microscopic and macroscopic vascular aspects of uterine fibroids is important for understanding the clinical manifestations of uterine fibroids, for predicting the effectiveness of alternative treatments to surgery, i.e. uterine artery embolization, for improving surgery outcomes and for carrying out a differential diagnosis with other benign conditions, e.g. adenomyosis, or malignancy, e.g. leiomyosarcoma, and to develop new therapeutic approaches. In this review, current knowledge of how the vascular network and angiogenesis are implied in the formation of uterine fibroids and in the pathogenesis of related symptoms is explored, and evidence on the role of ultrasound in evaluating fibroid vascularization is summarized. This review combines anatomical, morphological and biomolecular information related to angiogenic mechanisms with diagnostic and clinical information, highlighting the various interconnections. Uterine and fibroid vascularization need further investigation to gain a deeper understanding of the pathogenetic elements that lead to the formation of uterine fibroids and their clinical manifestations.

Doppler sonography of perifibroid and intrafibroid arteries of uterine leiomyomas

Objective

To sonographically evaluate the dominant fibroid nodule vascularity and flow velocity pattern of perifibroid and intrafibroid arteries.

Methods

We recruited 140 women with uterine fibroids. Their uteri were scanned to determine the vascularity of fibroid nodules and the Doppler indices of the fibroid arteries.

Results

The median volume of the dominant leiomyoma nodule was 133 cm³ (range=1.5-2,575 cm³). Eighty-three subjects (59.3%) had a dominant leiomyoma nodule volume of ≤200.0 cm³ while the volume of the dominant leiomyoma nodule was >200.0 cm³ in 57 (40.7%) subjects. The dominant fibroid nodule was vascular in 137 (97.9%) subjects and avascular in 3 (2.1%). All the perifibroid artery indices (except the end-diastolic velocity [EDV] and diastolic average ratio [DAR]) are significantly higher than those of the intrafibroid artery. The mean Doppler indices of perifibroid vs. intrafibroid arteries as follows: peak systolic velocity (PSV; 52.1 vs. 45.4 cm/s); EDV (21.1 vs. 22.4 cm/s); time-averaged maximum velocity (TAMX; 31.5 vs. 30.4 cm/s); time- averaged mean velocity (Tmean; 14.3 vs. 13.8 cm/s); pulsatility index (PI; 1.1 vs. 0.8); resistive index (RI; 0.6 vs. 0.5); systolic-diastolic ratio (SDR; 2.7 vs. 2.1); impedance index (ImI; 2.7 vs. 2.1); and DAR (0.66 vs. 0.74); P<0.001 for all indices.

Conclusion

The predominant pattern of fibroid vascularity is peripheral vascularity and the perifibroid artery indices (except EDV and DAR) are significantly higher than those of the intrafibroid artery. Recurrent fibroids in women with previous myomectomy had significantly higher intrafibroid PI, RI, SDR, and ImI than those without previous myomectomy.

Ovarian torsion in a three-year-old girl

BACKGROUND

Ovarian torsion is the fifth most encountered gynecological emergency requiring surgery. Representing only 2.7% of surgical emergencies, it is an entity that is worth being familiar with in the emergency department (ED).

OBJECTIVES

Untreated ovarian torsion may result in loss of ovarian function, tissue necrosis, and death from thromboembolism or sepsis. Presenting with vague symptoms and abdominal pain, diagnosing ovarian torsion can be difficult, especially in children. The objective of this article is to present a case of pediatric ovarian torsion and to review its epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment.

CASE REPORT

A 3-year-old girl presented to the ED with vomiting, fever, anorexia, and abdominal pain. Initially diagnosed with appendicitis by physical examination and computed tomography scan, this patient was taken to the operating room for surgical exploration. The patient was subsequently found to have ovarian torsion, which was treated appropriately.

CONCLUSION

Although a rare phenomenon, this case serves to increase awareness of the clinical presentation of ovarian torsion in the pediatric patient. Abdominal pain in the female child represents a challenging differential diagnosis, for which a physician must consider ovarian torsion.

The medical Doppler in hand surgery: its scientific basis, applications, and the history of its namesake, Christian Johann Doppler

The word Doppler is used synonymously in hand surgery for evaluating patency of vascular structures; however, the science and history behind the Doppler effect are not as well-known. We will present the theories behind the Doppler effect and the history of the person who made this discovery.

Testicular Torsion: Twists and Turns

Testicular torsion is one of the common causes of acute scrotal pain. This review discusses the clinical and sonographic findings of intravaginal and extravaginal testicular torsion, including the normal sonographic and vascular anatomy of the testis. The role of color flow Doppler and spectral Doppler is also emphasized in the patient's complete, incomplete, and intermittent testicular torsion. Sonographic features of testicular torsion mimics, such as vasculitis, venous thrombosis, scrotal edema, and technical parameters, are also presented. A brief description of new developments such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound, dynamic contrast magnetic resonance imaging, and near-infrared imaging is included.

Sonographic Evaluation of Ectopic Pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy is a high-risk condition that occurs in 1.9% of reported pregnancies. Although the clinical triad of pain, bleeding, and amenorrhea is considered very specific for an ectopic pregnancy, ultrasound plays important role in detecting the exact location of the ectopic pregnancy and also in providing guidance for minimally invasive treatment. This article discusses the main sonographic features of ectopic pregnancy at various common and unusual locations. In addition, it provides insight into the role of hormonal markers in the diagnosis and management of ectopic pregnancy.