WHAT IS ADVANCED GYNAECOLOGICAL ULTRASOUND?
Advanced gynaecology ultrasound refers to a detailed assessment of the female pelvis using transvaginal ultrasound performed by an appropriately trained specialist. The information derived from this type of special ultrasound is utilised to improve patient counselling and plan appropriate medical and/or surgical treatment. This type of ultrasound has developed because of the significant improvements in ultrasound equipment and the emergence of specialists with special interest in gynaecology ultrasound1.
WHEN IS ADVANCED GYNAECOLOGY ULTRASOUND USEFUL?
Advanced gynaecological ultrasound is useful in the following conditions:
- Characterisation of ovarian cysts.
- Assessment of women with uterine prolapse.
- Assessment of abnormal uterine bleeding.
- Assessment of couples trying to start a family.
- Assessment of women with endometriosis
- Estimating the best routes for surgery
WHY IS ADVANCED GYNAECOLOGICAL ULTRASOUND IMPORTANT?
Advanced gynaecological ultrasound is important because it can help you and your GP determine where and who has the best expertise to manage your condition.
For example if you have an ovarian cyst, this type of scan can help predict if the cyst is a benign cyst or cancer. With this information and together with your GP, you can then decide where and who has the best expertise to manage your condition.
Secondly in women with chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis, advanced gynaecological ultrasound not only reports the presence of the different forms of endometriosis, it also describes the way these forms of endometriosis interact with each other.
This information will help your gynaecologist in planning the best possible way to prepare you for surgery so you can have the best possible outcome.
WHERE CAN I BOOK FOR ADVANCED GYNAECOLOGY ULTRASOUND IN CANBERRA
Your GP should refer you for an advanced gynaecological ultrasound at the JUNIC Specialist Imaging and Women’s Centre with Dr Uche A. Menakaya.
Dr Menakaya is an Australian trained specialist Obstetrician, Gynaecologist, Laparoscopic surgeon and Sonologist. He has pioneered the introduction of this special type of ultrasound in Canberra to help improve the quality of care you receive. He is widely published and has won many national and international awards for this approach to women’s health.
REFERENCES
Menakaya UA, Adno A, Burnett S, Trivedi A, Smolleneic J, Condous G: Acute gynaecological services in Australia – Time for a change.ANZJOG 2014, 54 (3): 195-7
Timmerman D et al. Simple ultrasound rules to distinguish between benign and malignant adnexal masses before surgery: prospective validation by IOTA group. BMJ 2010; 341: c6839.
Dietz HP, Haylen BT, Broome J. Ultrasound In The Quantification Of Female Pelvic Organ Prolapse UOG 2001; 18: 511 – 514
Exacoustos C, Zupi E, Causotti c et al: Hysterosalpingo contrast sonography compared with hysterosalpingography and laparoscopic dye perturbation to evaluate tubal patency. J Am Assoc Gynecol laparosc 2003: 10; 367
Menakaya UA, Reid S, Infante F, Condous G. The systematic evaluation of women with suspected endometriosis using a fivedomain ultrasound based approach. J Ultrasound Med 2015; 34: 937 – 947
Yazbek J, et al. Value of preoperative ultrasound examination in the selection of women with adnexal masses for laparoscopic surgery. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2007; 30 883- 8
Menakaya UA, Adno A, Lanzarone V, Johnson NP, Condous G: Integrating the Concept of advanced gynaecological imaging for Endometriosis. ANZJOG 2015; 55: 409 -12
Menakaya UA, Reid S, Infante F, Lu C, Condous Ultrasound based staging system as a preoperative triage tool for laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis. UOG Sept 2014: 44 (S1); Pg. 347