Value of ultrasound as a presurgical diagnostic tool in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Although relatively new, diagnostic ultrasound is an important part of the surgeon's armamentarium in preoperative diagnosis and patient preparation. In the field of gynecology, it is possible to differentiate between solid and cystic tumors, measure the extent of tumors in the pelvis and abdomen, define normal structures in relationship to pathologic changes and diagnose and follow patients with malignant disease. In obstetrics, ultrasound has proved effective in the evaluation of the fetus and detection of obstetric problems such as estimation of fetal weight and gestational age, diagnosis of placenta previa, hydatidiform mole and missed and incomplete abortions.