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Dr Tarangini V

Ultrasound as a diagnostic tool for women

Why would a woman get an ultrasound?

For examining the uterus and ovaries during pregnancy and monitoring the health of a developing baby, an ultrasound is used.

There are many illnesses in which ultrasound is used as a diagnostic tool. Due to its non-invasive nature, doctors can detect, among other things:

  • Presence of ovarian cysts

  • Diagnosing endometriosis

  • Look for uterine fibroids

  • Check for any abnormalities in the uterus

  • Identify obstruction of the fallopian tubes

  • Recognize the presence of pelvic inflammatory disease

  • Look for tumors and kidney stones

For infertility problems, ultrasound can also be used. Images of the reproductive system from ultrasound can affirm or rule out problems. If there is a problem, the problem is treated, and the chances of getting pregnant increase.


Image credits: Shutterstock


Importance of ultrasound during pregnancy

Ultrasonography of the fetus helps doctors detect ectopic pregnancies (ectopic pregnancies). Determines the gestational age of the baby.

Knowing your baby's age will help your doctor determine the expected date of delivery and track various milestones during pregnancy.

Detecting Ovarian Cysts through Ultrasound

Ovarian cysts take the form of sacs full of fluid developing at the floor of an ovary. When the follicle now no longer launches an egg at some point of ovulation, it is able to preserve getting full of fluid even as withinside the ovary.

Although there are numerous varieties of cysts, while you revel in the subsequent symptoms, you want to see your gynecologist. These are:

  • Feeling complete all of the time

  • Experiencing painful menses

  • Feeling nauseated and vomiting often

  • Experiencing uncommon bleeding

Sometimes, you can revel in unexpected and extreme stomach aches. This might represent a ruptured cyst. If you begin fainting, feeling dizzy and vulnerable in addition to experiencing fast breathing, you need to get to a physician quickly.

Image credits: Shutterstock

Kidney Stones

Some small kidney stones can slip through your urinary tract and escape unnoticed from your body, while others have obvious signs, the main of which is pain. Imaging tests: X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasound, help doctors identify the size, shape, location, and the number of kidney stones. These tests help the provider determine the treatment needed.

Ultrasound image of renal stones

Image credits: Shutterstock


Uterine Fibroids

The benign growths of the uterus that usually appear during childbirth are called uterine fibroids. If left untreated, uterine fibroids can cause bleeding, and they can lead to anemia. Most uterine fibroids are non-cancerous but hardly lead to cancer. Untreated fibroids can also cause infertility in some women, but removing uterine fibroids can restore infertility in such women.

Ultrasound image of a fibroid uterus

Image credits: Shutterstock



Poly-Cystic Ovary Disease(PCOD)

A condition in which a woman's ovaries produce large numbers of immature or partially mature eggs that develop into ovarian cysts over time is called PCOD (polycystic ovary disease).

It is a typical hormonal disorder in childbearing age women. Women with PCOS may have irregular or long menstrual periods or excessive levels of male hormones (androgens). Ultrasonography is done to check the appearance of the ovaries and uterus.

Ultrasound image of PCOD

Image credits: Shutterstock


The global prevalence of PCOS is estimated to be 6-26%. Bozdag et al conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies reporting the prevalence of PCOS according to at least one subset of diagnostic criteria. Their results show that the global prevalence of PCOS ranges from 6% to 10%, depending on the criteria used. A similar epidemiological study concluded that prevalence estimates from the Rotterdam and Hyperandrogenism association were about twice as high as those obtained using the National Institutes of Health standards.

 

References


  1. Berber M.A., Satılmış İ.G. Characteristics of Low Back Pain in Pregnancy, Risk Factors, and Its Effects on Quality of Life. Pain Manag. Nurs. 2020;21:579–586. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2020.05.001

  2. Manyozo S. Low back pain during pregnancy: Prevalence, risk factors, and association with daily activities among pregnant women in urban Blantyre, Malawi. Malawi Med. J. 2019;31:71. DOI: 10.4314/mmj.v31i1.12

  3. Eyvazzadeh A.D., Levine D. Imaging of Pelvic Pain in the First Trimester of Pregnancy. Radiol. Clin. N. Am. 2006;44:863–877. DOI: 10.1016/j.rcl.2006.10.015

  4. Masselli G., Brunelli R., Monti R., Guida M., Laghi F., Casciani E., Polettini E., Gualdi G. Imaging for acute pelvic pain in pregnancy. Insights Imaging. 2014;5:165–181. DOI: 10.1007/s13244-014-0314-8

  5. Masselli G., Derchi L., McHugo J., Rockall A., Vock P., Weston M., Spencer J. Acute abdominal and pelvic pain in pregnancy: ESUR recommendations. Eur. Radiol. 2013;23:3485–3500. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-013-2987-7.


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