Ultrasound Imaging Appearance Research Articles

The Incarcerated Uterus: A Review of MRI and Ultrasound Imaging Appearances

The objective of this article is to review the MRI and ultrasound appearances of incarcerated uterus. Incarcerated uterus is a rare but serious complication of pregnancy in which the gravid uterus becomes trapped in the posterior pelvis. Characteristic MRI and ultrasound imaging features enable definitive diagnosis of incarcerated uterus, which reduces risks of complications that can lead to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality.

High resolution ultrasound features of prostatic rib metastasis: A prospective feasibility study with implication in the high-risk prostate cancer patient

ObjectiveIn a prior study, high resolution ultrasound (US) was shown to be accurate for evaluating rib metastasis detected on bone scan. However, that study did not address the specific US appearance typical of osteoblastic rib metastasis. Our objective was to determine the specific US imaging appearance of osteoblastic prostate carcinoma rib metastasis using osteolytic renal cell carcinoma rib metastasis as a comparison group. Materials and methodsThe Institutional Review Board approval and informed consent were obtained for this prospective feasibility study. We performed high resolution US of 16 rib metastases in 4 patients with prostate carcinoma metastases and compared them to 8 rib metastases in 3 male patients with renal cell carcinoma. All patients had rib metastases proven by radiographs and computed tomography (CT). High resolution US scanning was performed by a musculoskeletal radiologist using a 12–5MHz linear-array transducer. Transverse and longitudinal scans were obtained of each rib metastasis. ResultsAll 16 prostate carcinoma metastases demonstrated mild cortical irregularity of the superficial surface of the rib without associated soft tissue mass, cortical disruption, or bone destruction. 7 of 8 (88%) renal cell carcinoma rib metastases demonstrated cortical disruption or extensive bone destruction without soft tissue mass. One of 8 (12%) renal cell carcinoma rib metastases demonstrated only minimal superficial cortical irregularity at the site of a healed metastasis. ConclusionOsteoblastic prostate carcinoma rib metastases have a distinctive appearance on US. Our success in visualizing these lesions suggests that US may be a useful tool to characterize isolated rib abnormalities seen on a bone scan in high-risk prostate cancer patients who are being evaluated for curative surgery or radiation treatment.

Meat balls: a pathognomonic ultrasound and computed tomography finding in mature cystic teratoma

One of the commonest germ cell tumours are mature cystic ovarian teratomas. Although the imaging features of teratomas are highly variable, the sonographic and CT identification of fatty and calcific components are fairly suggestive. The case presented, however, is of an unusual, yet pathognomonic CT and ultrasound imaging appearance of an ovarian teratoma that was due to floating balls.

The ability of ultrasound to detect gynaecological neoplasms and their ultrasound morphological features

To determine first, the accuracy of a gynaecological ultrasound service in the detection of four clinically significant pathologies, namely, uterine body malignancy, ovarian malignancy, ovarian dermoid cysts and other benign ovarian pathologies and second, to review the ultrasound imaging appearances of ovarian masses with histopathological correlation. Retrospective data collection from consecutive weekly multidisciplinary team meetings over a 12-month period. All patients had undergone ultrasound examination before surgery. Data included patient demographics, menopausal status, indications for ultrasound, type of practitioner carrying out the scan, operative findings and final histopathological diagnosis. Ultrasound imaging appearances were correlated to histology. Of the 47 cases of uterine malignancy, 45 had endometrial carcinoma. All had either a thickened or poorly seen or not seen endometrium. Twenty-four per cent of these women were premenopausal. Forty-seven of the 48 cases of ovarian malignancy had abnormal ultrasound findings. In six of these, the findings were of a purely cystic lesion. There were 62 cases of benign ovarian pathology (excluding dermoid cyst), all of which had an abnormal ultrasound; 16 of these had possible ultrasound features of malignancy. All 30 cases of ovarian dermoid cyst had an abnormal ultrasound with a specific diagnosis being made in 27. This study shows that ultrasound is accurate in the detection of both endometrial and ovarian disease. The endometrium that is not seen or is poorly seen is an indication for endometrial biopsy in women with postmenopausal bleeding. There is considerable overlap in the ultrasound appearances of benign and malignant ovarian lesions. Ultrasound is a good method for the accurate and specific diagnosis of an ovarian dermoid cyst.

Ultrasound of Tendon Disease

Tendon diseases are a protean group of conditions resulting from a number of aetiologies. Overuse syndromes related to sporting activity are the most common causes with the lower limb more frequently affected than the upper limb. Inflammatory arthritides and entheseal disorders should also be considered in the differential diagnosis when imaging tendon disease. The course of mechanical tendon disease varies somewhat dependant on the aetiological factors present, once these are appreciated the pattern of progression becomes more predictable. This article aims to give the reader an understanding of the disease process and its ultrasound Imaging appearances with discussion of the relative merits of ultrasound verses MRI.