What are the advantages and disadvantages of transvaginal ultrasound?

summary

What are the advantages and disadvantages of transvaginal ultrasound? Ultrasound diagnostic technology has been used in clinic for decades. With the continuous development of ultrasound diagnostic instruments and diagnostic technology, from the earliest A-mode ultrasound, B-mode ultrasound and M-mode ultrasound to the current Doppler ultrasound, color blood flow imaging technology, intracavitary ultrasound, interventional ultrasound and three-dimensional ultrasound imaging, at the same time, the improvement of ultrasound gray scale and the enhancement of real-time imaging technology, Ultrasound diagnosis technology is an indispensable auxiliary diagnostic technology in obstetrics and gynecology. Transabdominal ultrasound is becoming the most common method and means of Obstetrics and Gynecology ultrasound examination. Transvaginal ultrasound provides a good way for obstetrics and Gynecology ultrasound technology to make pelvic masses, intrauterine diseases, intrauterine diseases Compared with transabdominal ultrasound, early pregnancy and follicle detection can be more clearly diagnosed, which improves the coincidence rate of ultrasound diagnosis.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of transvaginal ultrasound?

Transvaginal ultrasound is a kind of intracavitary ultrasound, using a special vaginal probe directly placed in the vagina for ultrasound examination. Transvaginal ultrasound has the characteristics of high frequency and high resolution, and patients do not need bladder filling. The observation and measurement of embryo development and structure by transvaginal ultrasound is 5-7 days earlier than that by abdominal ultrasound, such as early intrauterine pregnancy, follicle detection, early micro hysteromyoma, ectopic pregnancy, uterine malformation, postmenopausal endometrial thickness is clearer and more accurate than that by abdominal ultrasound. Transvaginal ultrasound has become one of the important means of Obstetrics and Gynecology since it has been used in clinic.

Advantages: 1. The frequency of 5 ~ 9MHz probe (fixed frequency or frequency conversion probe) is higher than that of 3.5MHz probe used in abdomen. The resolution is higher than that of abdominal probe. The probe is close to the cervix and the posterior fornix in the vagina, so the pelvic organs are displayed more clearly. 2. No need to hold urine, no need to wait, fight for time for patients, reduce the pain of holding urine. 3. For obese patients, the probe is close to the cervix and does not need to pass through the abdominal multi-layer tissue and thick fat. The sound beam absorption is less and the image is clearer than that of abdominal ultrasound.

Disadvantages: 1. As the resolution increases, the detection depth will inevitably decrease. The vaginal probe with a frequency of 5MHz and a focus area of 10cm can still display the horizontal uterine fundus. With the increase of the probe frequency, the distance of the focus area decreases, and the far-field display effect is not good. For larger uterine fibroids or multiple fibroids, larger pelvic tumors or tumors with longer pedicle and higher position, transvaginal ultrasound can not show the whole picture, so this kind of patients need transabdominal and vaginal combined scan to help more accurate diagnosis. 2. The horizontal position of the uterus was not satisfactory. 3. Because of the high position of the uterine body, it is difficult to get a good display. 4. Vaginal probe should be put into vagina for operation, so it is forbidden for virgins; Menstruation, abortion, acute vaginitis, pelvic inflammatory disease should be used with caution; It is not suitable for patients with vaginal malformations (vaginal atresia, thick transverse septum or oblique septum).

matters needing attention

Preparation before examination: patients should empty the bladder before examination, pelvic organs in physiological position, easy to check. After the bladder is filled, it can push the pelvic organs to the far field and affect the observation, so the bladder should be in an empty state.