Laparoscopy and ultrasound examination in women with acute pelvic pain.

The results of preoperative pelvic examination and eventual ultrasound examination were correlated with the laparoscopic findings in 316 women with acute pelvic pain. The predictive values of normal and abnormal findings at pelvic examination were 46.9 and 82.1%, respectively. 42.1% of the women had ultrasound examination performed. This investigation showed to be helpful especially in patients with normal findings at pelvic examination. If ultrasonic findings were abnormal the results at laparoscopy were also abnormal in 90%. On the contrary, normal findings at ultrasound examination did not exclude abnormal pelvic findings. The predictive value of normal results at ultrasound examination was 50.0%. This discrepancy between ultrasonic and pelvic findings can be explained by the size of the pelvic masses. Ultrasound examination is a valuable tool in the evaluation of patients with acute pelvic pain, but it cannot replace laparoscopy.