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“WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO MY UTERINE FIBROID QUESTION?” A PATIENT ASKS HER INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGIST AND GYNECOLOGIST
Chief among the tests that are most commonly utilized to confirm the diagnosis of uterine fibroids is the pelvic ultrasound. This test is simply an adaptation of sonar technology that we have come to see quite often in war movies to locate submarines. These images are made by using sound waves. In pelvic ultrasound, not only are the reflected sound waves received back, but an image is created from the various sound waves such that a picture is made of internal organs. This is very useful and accurate in diagnosing things in the pelvis and abdomen. For this reason this particular test is very commonly utilized in obstetrics and gynecology today. The major drawback with this test is that sometimes it may be performed by gynecologists who may not have a lot of training in its use and there may be misdiagnoses. Several years ago I operated on a woman for fibroids of the uterus who had had numerous ultrasounds performed in a gynecologist's office over the previous two years. All of them were interpreted as confirming the presence of uterine myomas. At the time of surgery she did not have myomas, but instead, she had very large complex cysts of both her ovaries. For this reason in my practice I do not rely solely on an ultrasound which may be performed in our office, but will ultimately confirm our findings by having a more detailed ultrasound interpreted by a board certified radiologist. – Francis Hutchins, Jr., M.D.
I always do my own
ultrasound because half of the radiologists are clueless about fibroids.
Some gynecologists may wish to obtain consultation with a radiologist,
while others feel that they get more complete and accurate information by
reading their own ultrasounds. Of course for the very large uterus,
MRI is the way to go. -
Note: The abdominal ultrasound
requires a full bladder. You will be instructed on when to consume
the required fluids that are needed for the ultrasound study.
(Sometimes
The transvaginal (pelvic) ultrasound can be performed when a woman has her menses. During the abdominal ultrasound, a cream is administered to the stomach/pelvic area to help glide the ultrasound paddles. After the ultrasound is performed, the patient will empty her bladder. The pelvic ultrasound requires the insertion of a probe into the vagina. (The transvaginal probe has germicide and a condom put on it for the woman’s protection. It is lubricated for easy insertion.)
Ultrasound images of the Ovary and Uterus.
Question: I have my ultrasound scans of my fibroids. I have a very basic question to which I cannot find the answer on any web site. Do they portray the uterus as right way up, or upside down, and are they right way around, or mirror images, such that right is left and left is right? On a retroverted uterus, is the bladder under or on top of the uterus? Is the cervix supposed to be in the lower right? Answer: By
convention, there are two orientations for a Tran abdominal ultrasound. |
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