Postsurgical pneumoperitoneum - comparison of abdominal ultrasound findings with plain radiography

To compare abdominal ultrasonography findings with plain radiography in the detection of postsurgical pneumoperitoneum. Cross-sectional, observational. Radiology Department, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi, from October, 2005 to April, 2006. Thirty patients of either gender who underwent laparotomies were included in the study. Patients were examined with plain radiography and abdominal ultrasound to detect postsurgical pneumoperitoneum within 24 hours of surgery. Upright chest radiography and left lateral decubitus views of abdomen were used to detect free air. McNemar test was applied to compute relationship between sonographic and radiographic findings. Among 30 patients, 22 [73.3%] were females and 8 [26.7%] were males [M: F = 1: 2.75]. Average age was 38.07 +/- 12.41 years. Out of 30 patients of postsurgical pneumoperitoneum, 27 [90%] were detected on ultrasonography while 3 [10%] were not detected. On plain X-rays, 4 patients were observed in group-I [no free air] and 26 in group-II [1-10 mm thickness]. Significant [p<0.001] relationship was observed between the two findings. Since both modalities can diagnose pneumoperitoneum reliably, ultrasonography can be a useful alternative imaging modality for the detection of pneumoperitoneum

Estimation of gestational age of the fetus by measuring placental thickness

To determine the gestational age of fetus on ultrasound by measuring the placental thickness. Design: An observational, cross-sectional study. Place and Duration P.N.S. Shifa Hospital, Karachi between July 2003 to July 2004. Subject And The study included one hundred pregnant females. The gestational age was > 12 weeks. Examination was done by Aloka SSD 1400 with 3.5 MHz convex probe throughout. It was observed that the placental thickness increased from 16mm at 12 weeks of gestation to 39mm at 40 weeks. The measurement of the placental thickness is an important parameter for estimation of fetal age along with other parameters especially in the late mid trimester and early third trimester where the exact duration of pregnancy is not known