Role of the 3-Vessel and Trachea View in Antenatal Detection of Tetralogy of Fallot.

Prenatal diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot remains less frequent compared to other major congenital heart defects. In this study, we examined how often the 3-vessel and trachea view was abnormal in a large series of prenatally diagnosed cases of tetralogy of Fallot. In addition, we compared its sensitivity to that of the traditional outflow tract views for detection of tetralogy of Fallot.

Is the "I-Sign" in the 3-Vessel and Trachea View a Valid Tool for Prenatal Diagnosis of D-Transposition of the Great Arteries?

Prenatal diagnosis of D-transposition of the great arteries remains less frequent compared to other major congenital heart defects. In this study, we examined how often the 3-vessel and trachea view was abnormal in a large series of prenatally diagnosed cases of D-transposition of the great arteries. We found that an abnormal 3-vessel and trachea view in the shape of an "I" ("I-sign"), which represents an anteriorly displaced aorta, was present in all fetuses with D-transposition of the great arteries when a 3-vessel and trachea view was successfully obtained.

Postoperative outcomes after robotic versus abdominal myomectomy.

Background And Objectives: Differences in postoperative outcomes comparing robotic-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy (RALM) with abdominal myomectomy (AM) have rarely been reported. The objective of this study was to compare surgical, quality-of-life, and residual fibroid outcomes after RALM and AM.

Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent RALM (n = 16) were compared with AM patients (n = 23) presenting with a uterine size of <20 weeks.

Racial differences in fibroid prevalence and ultrasound findings in asymptomatic young women (18-30 years old): a pilot study.

Objective: 1) To determine the prevalence of fibroids in asymptomatic young black and white women (ages 18-30 y); 2) to determine other differences in uterine and adnexal anatomy; and 3) to obtain preliminary data for sample size calculations.

Design: Pilot cross-sectional study.

Setting: Academic medical center.

Should uterine tandem applicators ever be placed without ultrasound guidance? No: a brief report and review of the literature.

Background: Brachytherapy is an integral component of the curative treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer. Optimal applicator placement is associated with improvements in local control and treatment-related toxicity. Uterine perforation by the tandem is common and often undetected by orthogonal radiographs.

3-D ultrasound of the fetal ear and fetal autosomal trisomies: a pilot study of a new screening protocol.

Objective: We hypothesize that the rotation of the ear in fetuses with common autosomal trisomies will be markedly different from euploid fetuses and amenable to detection by 3-D ultrasound in the render mode.

Methods: Study participants (10 weeks 4 days through 19 weeks 0 days) underwent a 3-D rendering of the fetal face and ear along with other biometric measurements prior to invasive testing.

Results: Of the 348 patients who underwent chorionic villi sampling (CVS) (n = 208) or amniocentesis (n = 140), 18 were diagnosed with trisomy 21, 4 with trisomy 18, and 1 with trisomy 13.

Three-dimensional fast acquisition with sonographically based volume computer-aided analysis for imaging of the fetal heart at 18 to 22 weeks' gestation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine how frequently cardiac images derived from 3-dimensional (3D) volume sets, acquired by fast acquisition and evaluated with sonographically based volume computer-aided analysis (sonoVCAD), were satisfactory for prenatal screening at 18 to 22 weeks' gestation.

Methods: A prospective study of 100 women with singleton pregnancies was undertaken. Three fast acquisition 3D volume sets were obtained from each patient.

Satisfactory visualization rates of standard cardiac views at 18 to 22 weeks' gestation using spatiotemporal image correlation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency with which 3 standard screening views of the fetal heart (4-chamber, left ventricular outflow tract [LVOT], and right ventricular outflow tract [RVOT]) can be obtained satisfactorily with the spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) technique.

Methods: A prospective study of 111 patients undergoing anatomic surveys at 18 to 22 weeks was performed. Two ultrasound machines with fetal cardiac settings were used.

Quality of 2- and 3-dimensional fast acquisition fetal cardiac imaging at 18 to 22 weeks: ramifications for screening.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency with which 6 different fetal cardiac views taken during a fetal ultrasound examination at 18 to 22 weeks' gestation can be obtained satisfactorily for cardiac anomaly screening using either a 2-dimensional (2D) static or 3-dimensional (3D) fast acquisition technique.

Methods: A prospective study of 100 low-risk women undergoing an anatomic survey was performed. Standard static 2D and 3D fast acquisition volumes were obtained on all patients.

Congenital malformations of the uterus: the role of ultrasound.

Congenital uterine anomalies in women often do not cause any symptoms, except when there is an obstruction of the uterine outflow tract, which occurs infrequently. Patients with congenital uterine anomalies often go undetected or are only discovered incidentally during an evaluation for something else. Consequently, it is difficult to determine the prevalence of congenital uterine anomalies in the general population, and it appears more frequently in certain populations, namely in those with recurrent pregnancy loss or infertility.

Transvaginal ultrasound assessment of the premenopausal ovarian mass.

The evaluation of the premenopausal ovarian mass with transvaginal ultrasound and color Doppler is reviewed.

The role of ultrasound evaluation in the detection of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer.

Objective: Epithelial ovarian cancer kills more women than all other gynecologic malignancies combined because of our inability to detect early-stage disease. Ultrasonography has demonstrated usefulness in the detection of ovarian cancer in asymptomatic women, but its value for the detection of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer in women of increased risk is uncertain. We examined the usefulness of sonography in the detection of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer in asymptomatic high-risk women who participated in the National Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Program.

Ultrasound evaluation of the endometrium after medical termination of pregnancy.

Objective: To determine ultrasound parameters associated with the need for clinical intervention after mifepristone and misoprostol termination of pregnancy.

Methods: Charts of patients undergoing medical termination according to a standard protocol in a 13-month period were reviewed. Endometrial thickness and the presence of gestational sac, fluid interface, or complex echoes on postprocedure ultrasonogram were recorded.

Ultrasound and ovarian cancer.

From the published studies it would appear that ultrasound is a very sensitive tool for identifying advanced stage ovarian cancer. The identification of Stage I ovarian cancer with ultrasound screening is more problematic since only 25 to 50% of ovarian cancers are identified in low-risk and high-risk respectively using this technique. Due to the low annual prevalence of ovarian cancer routine screening of premenopausal women or low-risk women after the menopause is unlikely to be cost-effective.