Peculiarities of ultrasound diagnostics of paraurethral glands in women of fertile age

Aim. Evaluation of ultrasound diagnostics of paraurethral glands considering their types of location in women of fertile age. Materials and methods. A gynaecological, sexological and ultrasound study of 94 women in the age from 24 to 42 (average age 31.01 ± 6.60) was carried out. Determination of paraurethral glands during ultrasound study was conducted in the format of grey scale (B-mode) using the Doppler colour flow mapping and evaluation of Doppler indices of paraurethral glands both before and after sexual stimu­lation. To optimize the paraurethral glands visual view at the beginning of examination urinary bladder was catheterized and a balloon, filled with gel, was inserted into vagina. Results. The front type of paraurethral glands location was found in the accumulation of glandular tissues in regard to the distal part of urethra in 67 (71.2 %) of the examined, back type – in the area of back urethra in 19 (20.2 %), diffuse type – along urethra in 7 (7.5 %) and absence – in 1 (1.1 %). Paraurethral glands were visualized in the form of clear isoechogenic oval formation with the following dimensions: length – 2.20 ± 0.60 cm, width – 1.52 ± 0.40 cm, thickness – 1.30 ± 0.30 cm, and volume – 4.75 ± 0.50 cm3. The diameter of vessels in the paraurethral glands area was between 0.17 cm and 0.21 cm in calm state and 0.39–0.41 cm – during stimulation. Maximum systolic speed of blood flow (Vps) in calm was 8.9–11.1 cm/sec, while in sexual stimulation it was 13.9–14.1 cm/sec, resistance index (IR) – 0.60–0.62 and 0.63–0.68, respectively, pulsation index (IP) – 1.22–1.44 and 1.61–1.72, respectively. Conclusions. The ultrasound study of vessels of paraurethral glands, when Doppler method is used according to the suggested methodology, gives the opportunity not only to identify its anatomical structure, but also to determine its types. In CDC the increase of diameter of vessels and the optimization of vessels image in the area of paraurethral glands in case of sexual stimulation were marked.

168 Comparison of different Doppler ultrasound settings for pregnancy diagnosis based on corpus luteum perfusion at 21 days after AI in beef cattle

Colour Doppler ultrasonography of the corpus luteum (CL) can be used for early pregnancy diagnosis to improve reproductive efficiency and increase the use of AI in beef cattle. The objective of the present study was to determine the diagnostic performance of different Doppler ultrasonography settings for pregnancy diagnosis based on CL perfusion at 21 days after fixed-time AI in beef heifers and cows. Yearling Angus-cross heifers (n=25) and suckled Angus-cross cows (n=84) aged 2-13 years were submitted to a 5-day CO-Synch + controlled internal drug release (CIDR) and timed AI at 60 or 72h after CIDR removal for heifers and cows, respectively. Animals were evaluated by a single operator using colour Doppler ultrasonography (Esaote MyLab Delta) at Day 21. Three settings for colour flow mapping (720, 960, and 1500Hz) and one setting for power Doppler (960Hz), which differed in pulse repetition frequency, were evaluated. The other settings remained unchanged with a probe frequency of 6.3MHz, wall filter of 3, and gain of 61. The pregnancy status (pregnant or non-pregnant) of cows and heifers was determined at 21 days following insemination using colour Doppler ultrasonography. Cows and heifers were considered to be pregnant if the CL blood flow area covered >10% of the periphery of the CL and contained at least two colour internal tracts penetrating towards the centre of the CL. Cattle were evaluated using transrectal B-mode ultrasonography on Day 35 to determine actual pregnancy status. Differences between diagnostic performance variables were evaluated using logistic regression, and setting, category (heifer or cow), and the interaction were included as fixed effects. Pregnancies per AI at Day 35 after fixed-time AI were 47.7% (52/109). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for pregnancy diagnosis at Day 21 for each setting are included in Table 1. There were no differences in sensitivity and NPV between settings (P>0.9), category (P>0.9), or the interaction (P>0.9). There was no effect of setting (P>0.5) or category×setting interaction (P>0.8) on specificity and PPV. There was, however, an effect of category (P<0.01). Colour Doppler ultrasonography had less specificity (59.1% compared with 90.2%) and PPV (75% compared with 89.3%) in heifers than in cows. In conclusion, colour Doppler ultrasonography settings that were evaluated did not affect the diagnostic performance for pregnancy diagnosis at Day 21 after AI, although, numerically the colour flow mapping at 960Hz appears to maximise diagnostic accuracy. In addition, the false-positive rate was greater in heifers, which warrants further research. Table 1.Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for pregnancy diagnosis for four colour Doppler ultrasound settings (colour flow mapping (CFM) at 720, 960, and 1500Hz and power Doppler (PWD) at 960Hz) at 21 days after fixed-time AI Item CFM720 CFM960 CFM1500 PWD960 Sensitivity,% 100 100 92.3 100 Specificity,% 80.7 87.7 87.7 80.7 PPV,% 82.5 88.1 87.3 82.5 NPV,% 100 100 92.6 100

Echocardiography

For video material relating to echocardiography, please go to Echocardiography Videos. Ease of use, rapid data provision, portability, and safety mean that echocardiography has become the principal investigation for almost all cardiac conditions. A modern transthoracic echocardiography examination combines real-time two-dimensional (2D) imaging of the myocardium and valves with information about velocity and direction of blood flow obtained by Doppler and colour-flow mapping. A complete examination can be performed in most patients in less than 30 min....

Cross-sectional echocardiographic demonstration of duct-related intimal tissue plaques within the pulmonary artery

The cross-sectional and colour flow mapping echocardiographic appearances of extension of ductal tissue within the pulmonary artery in three infants referred for echocardiographic assessment of a cardiac murmur are reported. The ductal plaques described may be common but are not necessarily of clinical significance.