Role of Color Doppler Ultrasonography in Benign and Malignant Adnexal Masses: A Systematic review.

Abstract

Introduction: An adnexal mass is a mass in tissue of the adnexa of uterus such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or any of the surrounding connective tissue. Adnexal masses can be benign, premalignant and malignant. They can be further divided into simple or complex masses. In women, before menopause, adnexal masses are of large variety including ovarian cysts, ectopic pregnancy, non-cancerous and cancerous tumors, endometriomas and polycystic ovaries. In such women causes include follicular cysts, corpus luteum cysts and abscesses. Prevalence of malignant ovarian cancer is high in young women. After menopause, cancer, fibroids, fibromas or diverticular abscesses are potential causes. Purpose: The key purpose of the study was the role of color Doppler ultrasonography in diagnosis of benign and malignant adnexal masses in women. The data used in this study is based on previous existing studies.  Method: The Literature (google Scholar, science Direct, PUBMED) was searched using keywords adnexal masses, color Doppler ultrasonography. Found articles were a combination of retrospective and prospective studies and only prospective studies were selected from 1992 to 2012. Only relevant articles were assessed and selected. Results: Most Studies are of the opinion that color Doppler ultrasonography (Abdominal or transvaginal) has better accuracy than grey scale ultrasonography due to the evaluation of blood flow in center or periphery of the adnexal mass.  Conclusion: Color Doppler ultrasound is a better choice for initial evaluation and screening of adnexal masses because it is widely available, relatively cheaper than other investigations and is non-invasive.

Keywords: Doppler Ultrasonography, Adnexal Masses

DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/82-14

Publication date: November 30^th 2020