[Transvaginal color Doppler for evaluating gynecologic pathology of the pelvis]

Transvaginal colour Doppler Sonography was used to assess circulation in pelvic vessels in a group of 611 non-pregnant and 88 pregnant patients. A 5 MHz transvaginal probe was used to visualize the pelvic anatomy and blood flow. Further analysis was made by pulsed Doppler where flow velocity waveforms were recorded and analysed by calculation of resistance index (RI). In the normal flow pattern, the diastolic flow component was absent or small and the value of RI was greater than 0.50. In the abnormal flow pattern, the large diastolic flow component was evident and the value of RI was less than 0.50. The transvaginal colour Doppler assessment of tumour vascularity can be used for better non-invasive characterisation of adnexal tumour and may be potentially useful as a screening test for ovarian malignancy. Because of its high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, transvaginal colour Doppler Sonography is the imaging of choice, in diagnostic procedure of early pregnancy failure and ectopic pregnancy. The guidance of a pulsed Doppler beam by colour flow mapping helps to locate areas of the most abundant flow and makes examination more reproducible, faster and easier.