Transvaginal Ultrasound better than abdominal
Written by:Transvaginal ultrasound is a type of ultrasound of the pelvis that is used to examine the internal genital organs of women. This technique uses ultrasound, and not X-rays , unlike abdominal ultrasound, in order to obtain the images, with greater quality and detail. It allows to clearly differentiate the liquid lesions from the solid ones. In addition, thanks to the " Doppler effect " and color Doppler , it favors and helps the diagnosis of malignant tumors.
It is easy to do, its economic cost is not high and does not have harmful effects on women. In addition, there is no exposure to radiation with this test, unlike others such as conventional radiology or CT, in which X-rays are involved.
How transvaginal ultrasound is performed
To undergo a transvaginal ultrasound, the patient should not perform any special preparation, and the exploration lasts between 5 and 10 minutes. The doctor inserts a probe ( transducer ) into the vagina , which sends sound waves that reflect body structures and transform into images that the doctor sees on a nearby monitor immediately.
It is a painless technique, in which the doctor gently moves the probe into the vagina to be able to clearly observe the pelvic organs. Only slight discomfort can be experienced due to the pressure of the probe, although it is not very common. This test requires the placement of physiological saline to outline some abnormal intrauterine masses and thus the doctor may have a better idea of its size.
Objectives of transvaginal ultrasound
Transvaginal ultrasound can make findings such as cysts , myomas or other neoplasms , which are not found in a physical examination. It can also determine the cause of bleeding, in addition to locating the type of sterility or diagnosing a pelvic pain. Some of the problems that can be seen through this test are congenital anomalies, cancers, or pelvic inflammatory diseases.
In the case of pregnant women, transvaginal ultrasound is also used, since during pregnancy it evaluates cases of threatened abortion, causes of bleeding or control of the placenta. Problems such as pregnancy tumors or placental hematomas can also be observed.
