Elizabeth Lazarus

Female Infertility: A Systematic Approach to Radiologic Imaging and Diagnosis

Imaging plays a key role in the diagnostic evaluation of women for infertility. The pelvic causes of female infertility are varied and range from tubal and peritubal abnormalities to uterine, cervical, and ovarian disorders. In most cases, the imaging work-up begins with hysterosalpingography to evaluate fallopian tube patency. Uterine filling defects and contour abnormalities may be discovered at hysterosalpingography but typically require further characterization with hysterographic or pelvic ultrasonography (US) or pelvic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Hysterographic US helps differentiate among uterine synechiae, endometrial polyps, and submucosal leiomyomas. Pelvic US and MR imaging help further differentiate among uterine leiomyomas, adenomyosis, and the various müllerian duct anomalies, with MR imaging being the most sensitive modality for detecting endometriosis. The presence of cervical disease may be inferred initially on the basis of difficulty or failure of cervical cannulation at hysterosalpingography. Ovarian abnormalities are usually detected at US. The appropriate selection of imaging modalities and accurate characterization of the various pelvic causes of infertility are essential because the imaging findings help direct subsequent patient care.

Characterization of Breast Masses With Sonography Can Biopsy of Some Solid Masses Be Deferred

To determine whether sonography can be used to categorize some solid breast masses as probably benign so that biopsy can be deferred.

Stereotactic Breast Biopsy: Comparison of Histologic Underestimation Rates with 11- and 9-Gauge Vacuum- Assisted Breast Biopsy

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare histologic underestimations at stereotactic 11- and 9-gauge vacuum-assisted breast biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS The reports of 1,223 consecutive stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsies were retrospectively reviewed. An 11-gauge device was used to perform 828 and a 9-gauge device to perform 395 biopsies. The pathologic results were reviewed for all cases. Biopsy results of atypical ductal hyperplasia and ductal carcinoma in situ were compared with the pathologic results after surgical excision. Underestimation was defined as the need to upgrade atypical ductal hyperplasia to ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive carcinoma at surgery and to upgrade ductal carcinoma in situ to invasive carcinoma. Statistical significance was determined with the chi-square test and 95% CI. RESULTS In the 11-gauge group, 12 (26%) of 46 cases of atypical ductal hyperplasia were upgraded to ductal carcinoma in situ and one (2%) of the cases to invasive carcinoma. In the 9-gauge group, six (22%) of 27 cases of atypical ductal hyperplasia were upgraded to ductal carcinoma in situ and two (7%) of the cases to invasive carcinoma. In the 11-gauge group, 35 (28.7%) of 122 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ were upgraded to invasive carcinoma. In the 9-gauge group, 10 (23%) of 44 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ were upgraded to invasive carcinoma. CONCLUSION There was no statistically significant difference between 11-gauge biopsy and 9-gauge biopsy in underestimation of atypical ductal hyperplasia and ductal carcinoma in situ.

MR Imaging Evaluation of Abdominal Pain during Pregnancy: Appendicitis and Other Nonobstetric Causes

Clinical diagnosis of the cause of abdominal pain in a pregnant patient is particularly difficult because of multiple confounding factors related to normal pregnancy. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is useful in evaluation of abdominal pain during pregnancy, as it offers the benefit of cross-sectional imaging without ionizing radiation or evidence of harmful effects to the fetus. MR imaging is often performed specifically for diagnosis of possible appendicitis, which is the most common illness necessitating emergency surgery in pregnant patients. However, it is important to look for pathologic processes outside the appendix that may be an alternative source of abdominal pain. Numerous entities other than appendicitis can cause abdominal pain during pregnancy, including processes of gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, genitourinary, vascular, and gynecologic origin. MR imaging is useful in diagnosing the cause of abdominal pain in a pregnant patient because of its ability to safely demonstrate a wide range of pathologic conditions in the abdomen and pelvis beyond appendicitis.

Ovarian and tubal torsion: imaging findings on US, CT, and MRI

Accurate diagnosis of adnexal torsion is often challenging, as clinical presentation is nonspecific and the differential for pelvic pain is broad. However, prompt diagnosis and treatment is critical to good clinical outcomes and preservation of the ovary and/or fallopian tube. Ultrasound (US) imaging is most frequently used to assess torsion. However, as computed tomography (CT) utilization in the emergency setting has increased, there are times when CT is the initial imaging test. Additionally, the nonspecific clinical presentation may initially be interpreted as gastrointestinal in etiology, where CT is the preferred exam. For these reasons, it is imperative to know the findings of adnexal torsion on CT as well as US. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is helpful in cases where the diagnosis remains unclear and is particularly helpful in the young or pregnant patient with equivocal sonographic findings, as it provides excellent soft tissue contrast without ionizing radiation. This article will illustrate the findings of surgically confirmed ovarian and fallopian tube torsion on US, CT, and MRI, including those in the pregnant patient. Ovarian enlargement, adnexal mass, twisting of the vascular pedicle, edematous and heterogeneous appearance of the ovary, peripheral ovarian follicles, free fluid, uterine deviation towards the side of torsion, adnexal fat stranding, tubal dilatation, and decreased adnexal enhancement will be reviewed. Familiarity with the range of imaging findings across multiple modalities is key to improving the likelihood of timely diagnosis and therefore improved clinical outcomes.

Abdominal Pain in Pregnancy: Diagnoses and Imaging Unique to Pregnancy—Review

Received November 14, 2008; accepted after revision November 4, 2009. 1Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women and Infants Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy St., Providence, RI 02903. Address correspondence to C. A. Woodfield (courtneywoodfield@yahoo.com). 2Present address: Department of Radiology, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA.

What's new in first trimester ultrasound

There are several advantages to ultrasound examination in early pregnancy. Ultrasound performed during the first trimester confirms an intrauterine pregnancy, establishes accurate dating, and is crucial in diagnosing early pregnancy failure and ectopic pregnancy. As sonographic spatial resolution continues to improve, first trimester sonography increasingly will offer early pregnancy screening for chromosomal abnormalities and fetal structural abnormalities.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria ® acute onset of scrotal pain--without trauma, without antecedent mass.

Men or boys, who present with acute scrotal pain without prior trauma or a known mass, most commonly suffer from torsion of the spermatic cord; epididymitis or epididymoorchitis; or torsion of the testicular appendages. Less common causes of pain include a strangulated hernia, segmental testicular infarction, or a previously undiagnosed testicular tumor. Ultrasound is the study of choice to distinguish these disorders; it has supplanted Tc-99 m scrotal scintigraphy for the diagnosis of spermatic cord torsion. MRI should be used in a problem solving role if the ultrasound examination is inconclusive. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria ® are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed every two years by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and review include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of a well-established consensus methodology (modified Delphi) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures by the panel. In those instances where evidence is lacking or not definitive, expert opinion may be used to recommend imaging or treatment.

Necessity of Hysterosalpingography After Essure Microinsert Placement for Contraception

OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to determine whether hysterosalpingography is necessary after Essure microinsert placement by evaluating the rates of appropriate placement and of satisfactory tubal occlusion in a general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS We identified all patients who underwent hysterosalpingography after Essure microinsert placement for desired sterility between January 1, 2008, and August 1, 2010. We recorded demographic information and the hysterosalpingographic results. The images and operative reports of all cases with abnormal hysterosalpingographic findings were reviewed. The hysterosalpingographic results were reviewed for appropriate placement of the microinsert, for successful tubal occlusion, and for any additional abnormalities. We also reviewed the medical records for documentation of subsequent pregnancies. RESULTS Two hundred forty hysterosalpingographic examinations were performed after 237 hysteroscopic microinsert placement procedures in 235 women. The mean age of the subjects was 35 years (range, 20-50 years). Twenty-two examinations (9.2%) were abnormal. Fourteen (5.8%) revealed inappropriate placement: six with tubal occlusion, seven without tubal occlusion, and one with an indeterminate finding for tubal occlusion. Fifteen examinations (6.3%) showed tubal nonocclusion: Microinsert placement was inappropriate in seven cases and appropriate in eight. Of the 22 abnormal hysterosalpingographic examinations, 20 had operative reports available. Eleven (55%) described difficulties with device insertion. Forty-two endometrial abnormalities were described in hysterosalpingographic reports of 38 patients. One subsequent pregnancy was documented in a patient with satisfactory device placement and tubal occlusion on hysterosalpingography. CONCLUSION Hysterosalpingography after Essure microinsert placement is necessary because 6.3% of examinations showed abnormalities requiring an alternative form of contraception.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Posttreatment Follow-up of Prostate Cancer

Although prostate cancer can be effectively treated, recurrent or residual disease after therapy is not uncommon and is usually detected by a rise in prostate-specific antigen. Patients with biochemical prostate-specific antigen relapse should undergo a prompt search for the presence of local recurrence or distant metastatic disease, each requiring different forms of therapy. Various imaging modalities and image-guided procedures may be used in the evaluation of these patients. Literature on the indications and usefulness of these radiologic studies and procedures in specific clinical settings is reviewed. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria(®) are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed every 2 years by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and review include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals and the application of a well-established consensus methodology (modified Delphi) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures by the panel. In those instances in which evidence is lacking or not definitive, expert opinion may be used to recommend imaging or treatment.