Female gential tract

Sonography of Obstetric and Gynecologic Emergencies: Part I, Obstetric Emergencies
http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/content/full/174/3/641
Y. Kaakaji 1 ; H. V. Nghiem 2 ; C. Nodell 1 ; T. C. Winter 3

1 Department of Radiology, The University of Washington Medical Center, 1959 N.E. Pacific St., Seattle, WA 98195-7115.
2 Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health System, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., TC2910Q, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0326.
3 Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Hospital, E3/311, CSC 600 Highland AVe., Madison, WI 53792-3252.
Received June 8, 1999; accepted after revision August 10, 1999. Address correspondence to H. V. Nghiem.

Pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding are two of the most common presenting complaints of women examined in the emergency department. In addition to clinical history, physical examination, and laboratory data, sonography is essential in evaluating pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding in women of childbearing age because many causes of these two presentations have suggestive or definitive sonographic findings. Multiple nonobstetric and nongynecologic problems may present with a similar clinical scenario. The purpose of this paper is to describe the pathophysiology and the sonographic features of obstetric emergencies.