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The Use of Contrasted Transvaginal Sonography in the Diagnosis of Gynecologic Diseases
Author(s) -
Testa Antonia Carla,
Ferrandina Gabriella,
Fruscella Erika,
Van Holsbeke Caroline,
Ferrazzi Enrico,
Leone Francesco P. G.,
Arduini Domenico,
Exacoustos Caterina,
Bokor Daniela,
Scambia Giovanni,
Timmerman Dirk
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.7863/jum.2005.24.9.1267
Subject(s) - medicine , radiology , color doppler , ultrasound , contrast enhanced ultrasound , perfusion , contrast (vision) , diagnostic accuracy , ultrasonography , artificial intelligence , computer science
Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new contrast‐dedicated ultrasound technology, contrast‐tuned imaging (CnTI), implemented on an endovaginal probe and using the second‐generation contrast agent SonoVue (Bracco International BV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands), compared with the standard ultrasound examination in different gynecologic diseases. Methods Eighty‐nine patients were enrolled in the study in 4 different clinical centers. The study included 40 patients with uncertain pelvic adnexal masses, 10 patients with pelvic masses indicative of recurrences of gynecologic tumors, 26 patients with uterine pathologic features, and 13 patients with cervical lesions. Results Application of CnTI technology after the SonoVue injection gave a picture of the intralesional microvascularization dramatically different from that obtained during color Doppler examination. Of the 40 pelvic masses, 15 (37.5%) were considered benign and 25 (62.5%) were considered malignant at B‐mode and color Doppler examinations. Contrast‐enhanced sonography showed no intralesional contrast perfusion in 11 (73%) of 15 cases, and all these were benign at final diagnosis. Of the 4 (27%) cases that had perfusion, 2 were malignant. Conversely, of the 25 cases with positive findings at color Doppler examination and therefore expected to show the appearance of contrast tissue‐filling morphologic characteristics, 13 (52%) were malignant at final diagnosis. For evaluation of uterine pathologic features, the CnTI‐SonoVue technology did not appear to be superior to the B‐mode and color Doppler examinations; however, for the evaluation of cervical cancer, CnTI‐SonoVue technology revealed a better definition of the margins of the neoplastic lesions in 4 (40%) of 10 cases. Conclusions In the evaluation of uncertain pelvic masses, the CnTI technology led to an improvement in the ability of the practitioner to differentiate benign from malignant adnexal lesions.