DIAGNOSTIC-VALUE OF TRANSVAGINAL COLOR DOPPLER FLOW IN OVARIAN TORSION

Objective: To evaluate the role of Doppler flow in the diagnostic proc ess of ovarian torsion. Methods: Twenty-two patients who displayed the clinical symptoms of abdominal pain concomitant with an ovarian mass and were scheduled for explorative laparoscopy were enrolled in the st udy. The cohort was divided into 3 groups: (A) 8 patients with clinica l and sonographic evidence of torsion; (B) 8 patients with abdominal p ain and sonographic diagnosis of hemorrhagic cyst; and (C) 6 patients with a simple cystic mass who had undergone explorative surgery due to abdominal pain. Results: After Doppler flow imaging, Group A displaye d no blood flow within the mass, and surgery confirmed the diagnosis o f ovarian torsion. Seven of the 8 Group B patients showed ovarian vasc ular flow (RI = 0.472 +/- 0.067). Only 2 of the 6 Group C patients dis played vascular flow (RI = 0.680 +/- 0.129) within an untwisted cyst, confirmed by laparoscopy. Conclusions: The combination of Doppler flow imaging with the morphologic assessment improves the diagnostic accur acy of ovarian torsion.