DOPPLER DIAGNOSIS IN ECTOPIC PREGNANCY - AN ADDITIONAL, USEFUL DIAGNOSTIC-TOOL

In spite of improved laboratory methods and better resolution by using endovaginal sonography diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy remains an unre solved diagnostic problem. Because of early disturbed development seru m HCG discriminatory levels as well as sonographic evaluations are of limited value. The typical symptoms of ectopic pregnancy are represent ed only in 50% of patients, and hence extra-and intrauterine signs are used for the detection of ectopic pregnancy. Only if diagnosis is per formed at a very early stage is it possible to avoid emergency situati ons and to maintain optimal fertility chances. Therefore we wanted to know whether Doppler evaluation improves the diagnostic performance. 8 3 women with suspected ectopic pregnancy were examined. In 24 cases pe ritrophoblastic flow could be measured, but 19 of them also had small amounts of free intraperitoneal fluid. An exact relation of the HCG va lues (85-8500 mlE/ml) to the velocity indices (6-31 cm/s, RI 0.44-0.87 ) was not available. Colour flow imaging and pulsed Doppler examinatio n are qualified, especially if there are extrauterine signs, to identi fy ectopic pregnancy and to increase diagnostic sensitivity from 65% t o 86% at an early stage.