ECTOPIC PREGNANCY - TRANSVAGINAL SONOGRAPHIC FINDINGS OF 152 CASES

In a retrospective study performed on 152 cases of verified ectopic pr egnancy, the features at transvaginal sonography were evaluated. A tot al of 146 (96%) of the patients had at least one abnormal sonographic feature and pelvic/cul-de-sac fluid was the most common finding, detec ted in all of the 146 patients. Pelvic/cul-de-sac fluid was particulat e in 103 patients and simple in 43. Pelvic/cul-de-sac fluid together w ith extrauterine findings were found to be present in 93.8% (137/146) of the patients, suggesting the fact that if pelvic/cul-de-sac fluid w as detected, every effort should be made to image the tube. The extrau terine transvaginal sonographic features included 102 (63.0%) patients with a mass, 60 (41.1%) with a gestational sac (with or without yolk sac or embryo), and eight (5.3%) with a living embryo. Comparison of t he sonographic findings according to the status of the ectopic pregnan cy revealed that particulate fluid (98.9%), and an extrauterine mass ( 88.2%) were the features that aided in the diagnosis of ruptured and a borted ectopic pregnancies, whereas an extrauterine gestational sac (7 2.9%), and a living embryo (11.9%) were associated with intact ectopic pregnancies. Our findings support the practice of using transvaginal sonography, and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin measurements in the diagnosis and prediction of the status of ectopic pregnancy.