Ultrasonographic findings of the pelvic masses

ABSTRACT

Ultrasonography is most commonly utillized diagnostic tool in obstetric and gynecology for the evaluation ofpatient with a pelvic mass or pregancy. For it is characterized by no radiation hazard, noninvasive examinationand high diagnoastic accuracy. Also it affords an accurate assessment of the presence, size, location and internalconsistency of a pelvic mass. The recent availability and improved resolution of realtime scanning have afforded amore flexible and complete approach to evaluation of normal and abnormal structures in the pelvis. We analyzedultrasonographic findings in 154 pathologically proven cases of pelvic mass examined at Korea General hospitalfrom Jan. 1983 to Apr. 1984. The results were as follows; 1. The age distribution was from 12 years to 66 yearsand the majority of patients were between the ages of 21 and 50 yeasrs (91.4%). 2. The incidence of pelvic masswas 27.9% in uterine leiomyoma, 22.7% in ovarian cyst, 13.0% in addenomyosis and 8.4% in serous cystadenoma. 3. Mild to moderately echogenic nodular uterine enlargement with some cystic change(81.5%) of leiomyoma and multiplesmall vesicular pattern of intrauterine contents with uterine enlargement of Homole were the most common ultrasonographic findings. The location and type of leiomyoma were most common in the fundus and body (95.3%), and intramural myoma(53.5%). The most frequent finding of ovarian teratoma was cystic mass with echogenic focus(41.7%) but the echogenic appearance of the lesions was extremely variable. The ultrasonographic findings ofectopic pregnancy were cystic or complelx adnexal mass(80.0%), with or without fluid in cul-de-sac and deviationof uterus by adenxal mass. 4. Accuracy of ultrasonography in detemining the overall correct diagnosis of thepelvic masses compared with proven diagnosis was approximately 61.7%. The diagnostic accuracy was 90.7% inluterine leiomyoma, 100% in H-mole nad 80.0% in ectopic pregnancy.