Diagnosis of uterine vein thrombosis on transvaginal ultrasound

Abstract

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is

The prevalence of incidental uterine venous plexus thrombosis in women attending a gynecology clinic

“…This is similar to the issues encountered with the imaging of vaginal mesh and slings, which are easily detected on ultrasound but not visible on x‐ray, MRI, or CT 38 . The only two previous studies evaluating the use of TVS for UVPT have concluded that ultrasound diagnosis is possible as it allows the transducer to be placed in close proximity to the pelvic veins, which facilitates a detailed examination of their morphology and blood flow 6,7 …”

“…The presence of any uterine, ovarian, tubal, or adnexal pathology was recorded. The uterine vessels were identified in the transverse plane as hypoechoic tubular structures originating at the level of the uterine internal os and traced laterally in the base of the broad ligament up to the iliac vessels 7 . In accordance with our standard practice, we used color Doppler to facilitate differentiation between uterine arteries and veins, and other similar tubular structures such as ureters or dilated Fallopian tubes.…”

“…The main criterion for diagnosis of a thrombus within the uterine venous plexus was the presence of a solid, hyperechoic intraluminal structure causing partial obstruction of venous blood flow on color Doppler examination (Figure 1A and B). 7 …”

“…As modern imaging modalities continue to evolve, incidental diagnoses of DVT are becoming more common and hence the potential clinical relevance of asymptomatic DVT is increasingly recognized 5 . There is little information available on the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical significance of incidental uterine venous plexus thrombosis (UVPT) detected on transvaginal ultrasound (TVS), with only two small case series published, which included a total of 10 women 6,7 . Consequently, the management and counseling of patients with this condition is challenging.…”

Reference ranges for uterine vein dimensions in non‐pregnant women with normal pelvic organs

“…Once the pelvic organs had been examined, the UtV trunks were identified in the transverse plane as hypoechoic tubular structures originating at the level of the internal os. They were traced laterally at the base of the broad ligament up to the iliac vessels 5 . Application of color Doppler assisted the differentiation between uterine arteries and UtVs and other similar tubular structures, such as ureters or dilated Fallopian tubes.…”