Transvaginal ultrasound

Transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) is a component of current screening practices. Typically, it is used in combination with CA-125 determination, but it can be used as a single... 

Studies carried out with transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) in postmenopausal women with breast cancer have shown that the endometrium is thickened more frequently in women receiving tamoxifen than in those not treated with the drug. For example, in a transversal study Cohen et al. observed that 94.6% of women treated with tamoxifen and nonsymptomatic from a gynecological point of view had an endometrial thickness > 5 mm, an observation that was present in only 40% of women who did not receive this treatment (Cohen et al. 1994). 

Powles TJ, Bourne T, Athanasiou S, Chang J, Grubock K, Ashley S, Oakes L, Tidy A, Davey J, Viggers J, Humphries S, Collins W. The effects of norethisterone on endometrial abnormalities identified by transvaginal ultrasound screening of healthy post-menopausal women on tamoxifen or placebo. Br J Cancer 1998 78(2) 272-5. 

Gerber B, Krause A, Muller H, Reimer T, Kulz T, Makovitzky J, Kundt G, Friese K. Effects of adjuvant tamoxifen on the endometrium in postmenopausal women with breast cancer a prospective long-term study using transvaginal ultrasound. J Clin Oncol 2000 18(20) 3464—70. 

Behre HM, Kuhlage J, Gassner C, Sonntag B, Schem C, Schneider HPG, Nieschlag E (2000) Prediction of ovulation by urinary hormone measurements with the home use ClearPlan Fertility Monitor Comparison with transvaginal ultrasound scans and serum hormone measurements. Hum Reprod, 15 2478-2482. 

Disaccordance between estimation of endometrial thickness as measured by transvaginal ultrasound compared with hysteroscopy and directed biopsy in breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen. Anticancer Research, 20, 4889-4891. 

Later on, using transvaginal ultrasound-guided puncture of the embryonic cavities, T3, T4 and rT3 were found in the coelomic and amniotic fluids from 6 to 11 weeks... 

Fig. 5.6. Transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) of uterine leiomyoma. TVUS demonstrates a well defined subserosal leiomyoma (arrow) distorting the outer contour of the uterine wall. The leiomyoma shows a heterogenous echotexture and is hypoechoic compared to the adjacent myometrium and endometrium. The endometrium is seen as a hyperechoic stripe...

Fig. 5.7. Transvaginal ultrasound of leiomyoma. Transvaginal color-coded duplex ultrasound demonstrates the perifibroid plexus vessels surrounding the leiomyoma...

Guerriero S, Ajossa S, Lai MP et al (2003) The diagnosis of functional ovarian cysts using transvaginal ultrasound combined with clinical parameters, CA 125 determinations, and color Doppler. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 110 83-88... 

Sono-HSG shares limitations similar to those of conventional transvaginal ultrasound and can only help evaluate patent endometrial canals [17]. 

Both transvaginal ultrasound and MRI are reliable methods for identification of leiomyomas. Sonohys-terography can clearly demonstrate the relationship between the endometrium and submucosal leiomyomas and thus serves as an important adjunct to transvaginal US [39]. 

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