3-D Ultrasound Flags Congenital Uterine Defects.

MARINA DEL REY, CALIF. - High resolution three-dimensional ultrasound images of the uterus can be a valuable tool in the diagnosis and management of uterine abnormalities, Dr. Dolores H. Pretorius said at a conference on ultrasound and women's health.

"Where 3-D makes a real difference is in the visualization of congenital anomalies of the uterus," said Dr. Pretorius, professor of radiology at the University of California, San Diego.

At her institution, patients with suspected uterine abnormalities are typically referred for MRI for a definitive diagnosis.

Nevertheless, "3-D can do what MRIs do in 5 seconds and at less cost for the procedure," said Dr. Pretorius;

Three-dimensional ultrasound is superior to regular 2-D ultrasound for imaging uterine structures.

With 3-D ultrasound, the three images can be viewed simultaneously on a computer display screen. The images can also be repositioned to acquire images of posterior and complex anatomical structures that are not accessible with standard ultrasound.

For example, in patients with a septate uterus, 2-D sonograms show only the septation with two horns in the sagittal plane; they cannot image the contour of the myometrium in the transverse plane, ac cording to Dr. Pretorius.