J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2009 Oct;20(5):546-554.

The Effectiveness of Transvaginal Ultrasonography Performed by Emergency Physicians

• Jung SY
• Noh H
• Jung KY
• Eo EK

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the diagnostic accuracy and effectiveness of transvaginal ultrasonography (TVUS) performed by emergency physicians (EPs') in the emergency department.
METHODS
In this study, female patients with lower abdominal pain who had risks for obstetric and gynecologic diseases were assessed. The accuracy and effectiveness of TVUS performed by emergency physicians was determined by comparing EPs' interpretations of TVUS with the interpretations of TVUS by OGs CT findings, and surgical pathologic results.
RESULTS
Forty-one patients were included in the study. The diagnosis was changed in 48.8% of the patients after the TVUS had been performed by an EPs'. When the accuracy of diagnosis was compared pre- and post-TVUS, the accuracy of post-TVUS (80.5%) was higher than the pre-TVUS (39.0%). The agreement between the sonographic findings of EPs' and OGs' was substantial (accuracy=81.3~93.8%; kappa=0.611~0.811; p<0.05). The accuracy of TVUS performed by EPs' in obstetric and gynecologic diseases was 90.6%. The sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 90.9%, respectively, and the positive and negative predictive values were 96.8% and 100%, respectively.
CONCLUSION
TVUS performed by EPs' is of considerable help in establishing the correct diagnosis with a high degree of accuracy.

Keyword

Ultrasonography; Vagina; Adominal pain; Emergency medicine; Differential diagnosis

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain
Diagnosis, Differential
Emergencies
Emergency Medicine
Female
Genital Diseases, Female
Humans
Sensitivity and Specificity
Vagina