[Transvaginal ultrasonography. Clinical applications]

Abstract

Transvaginal ultrasonography has an excellent patient acceptability and generally gives a more detailed picture of pelvic structures compared to what can be achieved by the transabdominal route, mainly because of the higher sound-frequency of the probes (5-7.5 MHz). On the basis of recent literature, a review is given concerning major clinical applications. The method has a firmly established role in diagnosing complications during early pregnancy as well as in modern infertility treatment. Recent advances have been obtained in several other fields of obstetrics and gynaecology, but further studies are still needed. Color Doppler mapping and characterization of flow by Doppler spectral analysis show great potentials in the hands of the gynaecological oncologist.