http://www.appliedradiology.com RSS Feed on Applied Radiologyhttp://www.appliedradiology.com//Issues/2010/03/Articles/Imaging-of-ectopic-pregnancy/Imaging-of-ectopic-pregnancy.aspx<p>Ectopic pregnancy is a major health problem for women of childbearing age and a leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the first trimester. Untreated, ectopic pregnancy can lead to massive hemorrhage, infertility and death. With the advent of high-resolution transvaginal sonography, in conjunction with serum assay for the ß-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG), rapid and accurate diagnosis of this entity is now routinely possible. How then does one approach the pregnant patient with pain and vaginal bleeding? How does one address the ubiquitous requisition for “rule out ectopic” from the Emergency Department? The primary differential diagnosis in such cases is fairly straightforward and includes: normal intrauterine pregnancy (IUP), abnormal IUP or spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy, and molar pregnancy. This article reviews the utility of the primary tools for distinguishing between these entities: high-resolution transvaginal sonography and serum assays for ß-hCG.</p>Monday, 08 Mar 2010 11:56:12 GMT