Diagnostic value of transvaginal color and pulsed doppler in pelvic congestion syndrome

ABSTRACT

Pelvic vasculature and homodynamics of the female pelvis were studied in twenty patients complaining of chronic pelvic pain of unknown etiology and 10 women, without gynecologic complaint, as control were evaluated using transuterine pelvic phIebogrophy and transvaginal color and pulsed Doppler. Blood flow velocity waveform of each of the ovarian arteries were recorded, and pulsatility index [PI] value was measured. The phlebogram was considered pathologic if either of the ovarian veins reached >/= 8 mm at lumbar 5. Ovarian vein dilation was found to be a predominant pathology in patients complaining of chronic pelvic pain without evident cause [75%]. We have found significant positive correlation between the ovarian artery PI value and the ipsilateral ovarian vein diameter, in both study and control cases [r = 0.75, P < 0.05]. Thus transvaginal color and pulsed Doppler can be used as an alternative to phlebography for studying perfusion characteristics of the female pelvis. It has the advantage of being safe, non-invasive, reproducible, and easily interpreted