Gynecologic Sonography Overview Vocabulary Flashcards
The area located posterior to the board ligaments, adjacent to the uterus, which contain the uterus and fallopian tubes
Adnexa
A protein produced by the fetal yolk sac, fetal gastrointestinal tract, and the fetal liver; may also be produced by some malignant tumors
Alpho-fetoprotein
Birth defect in which the external genitalia appear neither recognizably male or female
Ambiguous Genitalia
The absence of menstruation
Amenorrhea
A collection of abdominal fluid within the peritoneal cavity
Ascites
A tumor marker in the blood that can indicate certain types of cancers such as cancer of the ovary, endometrium, breast, gastrointestinal tract, and lungs; stands for cancer antigen 125
CA-125
A diagnostic modality that utilizes ionizing radiation to produce images of the human body in cross-sectional and reconstructed 3D formats
Computed tomography
Difficult or painful menstruation
Dysmenorrhea
Painful sexual intercourse
Dyspareunia
Painful or difficult urination
Dysuria
The sonographic appearance of a structure
Echotexture
A means of looking inside the human body by utilizing an endoscope
Endoscopy
A distinct layering of fluids within a cyst or cystic structure that is caused by the presence of at least two different fluid compositions
Fluid-fluid level
A catheter placed into the urinary bladder via the urethra that is used to drain urine; it can also be clamped and used to temporarily distend the bladder for pelvic sonography
Foley catheter
A laboratory value that indicates the amount of red blood cells in blood
Hematocrit
Excessive hair growth in women in areas where hair growth is normally negligible
Hirsutism
A hormone produced by the trophoblastic cells of the early placenta; may also be used as a tumor marker in nongravid patients and males
Human chorionic gonadotropin
The dilation of the renal collecting system resulting from the obstruction of the flow of urine from the kidneys to the bladder; also referred to as pelvocaliectasis, pelviectasis, or pyelectasis
Hydronephrosis
Decreased or scant menstrual flow; regular timed menses but light flow
Hypomenorrhea
An enzyme found within the blood that may be used to monitor renal function; may also be used as a tumor marker for some ovarian tumors
Lactate dehydrogenase
A diagnostic modality that utilizes electromagnetic radiation to produce images of the human body in cross-sectional and reconstructed 3D formats
Magnetic resonance imaging
Ascites and pleural effusion in the presence of some benign ovarian tumors
Meigs syndrome
Excessive or prolonged bleeding between periods
Menometrorrhagia
Abnormally heavy and prolonged menstruation
Menorrhagia
Irregular menstrual bleeding between periods; intermenstrual bleeding
Metrorrhagia
Having multiple chambers or compartments; having more than one internal cavity
Multiloculated
Growth or masses attached to the wall of a structure, most likely a cyst
Mural nodules
A mass of tissue that contains abnormal cells; also called a tumor
Neoplasm
A diagnostic imaging modality that utilizes the administration of radionuclides into the human body for an analysis of the function of organs, or for the treatment of various abnormalities
Nuclear medicine
An abnormality that results from the ovary twisting on its mesenteric connection, consequently cutting off the blood supply to the ovary
Ovarian torsion
An infection of the female genital tract that may involve the ovaries, uterus, and/or the Fallopian tubes
Pelvic inflammatory disease
The abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleural space
Pleural effusion
A syndrome charcterized by anovulatory cycles, infertility, hirsutism, amenorrhea, and obesity; may also be referred to as Stein-Leventhal syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome
An intraperitoneal extension of mucin-secreting cells that result from the rupture of a malignant mucinous ovarian tumor or, possibly, a malignant tumor of the appendix
Psuedomyxoma Peritonei
A diagnostic imaging modality that uses ionizing radiation for imaging bones, organs, and some soft tissue structures
Radiography
Separations; structures that divide something into separate sections
Septations
A sonographic procedure that uses saline instillation into the endometrial cavity and Fallopian tubes to evaluate for internal abnormalities
Sonohysterogram
A breast cancer drug that inhibits the effects of estrogen in the breast
Tamoxifen
Sonogram that requires the transducer be placed against the labia; often used for imaging of the cervix
Translabial sonogram
Having one chamber or compartment
Unilocular
Changes within the female that are caused by increased androgens; may lead to deepening of the voice and hirsutism
Virilization
Artifact caused by large acoustic interface and subsequent production of false echoes
Reverberation
Ex: Echogenic region in the anterior aspect of the urinary bladder
Artifact produced by a strong specular reflector and results in a copy of the anatomy being placed deeper than the correct location
Mirror image
Ex: Artifactual duplicate uterus during endovaginal sonogram
Artifact caused by attenuation of the sound beam
Shadowing
Ex: Posterior to pelvic bones or a tooth within a cystic teratoma
Artifact that appears as a solid streak or a chain of parallel bands radiating away from a structure
Ring-down
Ex: Gas or air within the endometrium secondary to endometritis
Artifact caused by air or bowel gas
Dirty shadowing
Ex: Emanates from bowel, or posterior to gas within can abscess
Artifact produced when the sound beam is barely attenuated through a fluid or fluid-filled structure
Posterior enhancement / Through transmission
Ex: Posterior to urinary bladder or simple cyst
Peripheral arteries of the arteries that lie at the edge of the myometrium
Arcuate arteries
Bilateral muscles located lateral to the uterus and anterior to the iliac crest
Iliopsoas muscle
Paired pelvic muscles located lateral to the ovaries
Obturator internus muscle
Pelvic muscle located posteriorly within the pelvis that helps support the sacrum
Coccygeus muscle
Paired pelvic muscles located posteriorly that extends from the sacrum to the femoral greater trochanter
Piriformis muscle
Arteries that supply blood to the deeper layers of the myometrium
Radial arteries
Tiny, coiled arteries that supply blood to the functional layer of the endometrium
Spiral arteries
Uterine radial artery branch that supplies blood to the basal layer of the endometrium
Straight arteries
Branches of the internal iliac artery that supply blood to the uterus, ovaries, and Fallopian tubes
Uterine arteries
Extends from the lateral aspect of the uterus to the side walls of the pelvis and is a double fold of peritoneum
Broad ligaments
Extends from uterine cornua to labia majora between the folds of the broad ligaments
Round ligaments
Extends from the ovaries to the pelvic side wallsand is a double fold of peritoneum
Suspensory ligament of the ovaries (Infundibulopelvic)
Extends from ovary to lateral surface of the uterus
Ovarian ligaments
Extends from the lateral surface of the cervix to the lateral fornix of vagina
Cardinal ligament
Extends from uterus to sacrum
Uterosacral ligament
Ligament that supports the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries
Broad ligaments
Ligament that supports the uterus (fundus)
Round ligaments
Ligament that supports the ovaries and fallopian tubes
Suspensory ligament of the ovaries
Ligament that supports the ovaries
Ovarian ligaments
Ligament that supports the cervix and houses the vasculature of uterus
Cardinal ligament
Ligament that supports the uterus
Uterosacral ligament
The uterine body tilts forward and comes in contact with the cervix, forming an acute angle between the body and the cervix
Anteflexion
The typical version of the uterus where the uterine body tilts forward, forming a 90-degree angle with the cervix
Anteversion
The nonfunctional outer layer of the endometrium
Basal layer
A common uterine anomaly in which the endometrium divides into two horns; also referred to as bicornis unicollis
Bicornuate uterus
Limp
Boggy
The rigid region of the uterus located between the isthmus and the vagina
Cervix
Areas just inferior to the fundus of the uterus where the fallopian tubes are attached bilaterally
Cornua of the uterus
The uterine body
Corpus of the uterus
The long axis of the uterus deviating to the right of the midline
Dextroverted uterus
A drug administered to pregnant women from the 1940’s to the 1970’s to treat threatened abortions and premature labor that has been linked with uterine malformation in the exposed fetus
Diethylstibeestrol (DES)
Difficult or painful defecation
Dyschezia
Area that lies between the two layers of endometrium; may also be referred to as the uterine cavity
Endometrial cavity
The inner mucosal layer of the uterus
Endometrium
The inferior portion of the cervix that is in close contact with the vagina
External os
The functional inner layer of the endometrium that is altered by the hormones of the menstrual cycle
Functional layer
Blood accumulation within the vagina
Hematocolpos
Blood accumulation within the uterine cavity
Hematometra
Blood accumulation within the uterus and vagina
Hematometrocolpos
Fluid accumulation within the vagina
Hydrocolpos
Fluid accumulation within the uterus and vagina
Hydrometrocolpos
A radiographic procedure that uses a dye instilled into the endometrial cavity and Fallopian tubes to evaluate for internal abnormalities
Hysterosalpingography
The surgical repair of a uterine septum in a septate uterus using a hysteroscopy
Hysteroscopic uterine septoplasty
A vaginal anomaly in which the hymen has no opening, therefore resulting in an obstruction of the vagina
Imperforate hymen
The superior portion of the cervix closest to the isthmus
Internal os
Area of the uterus between the corpus and the cervix
Isthmus of the uterus
The long axis of the uterus deviating to the left of the midline
Levoverted uterus
The term used for the isthmus of the uterus during pregnancy
Lower uterine segment
A fibroid treatment that utilizes focused high-frequency, high-energy ultrasound guided by magnetic resonance imaging to heat and destroy fibroid tissue
Magnetic resonance imaging-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound
Paired embryonic ducts that develop into the female urogenital tract
Mullerian ducts
The surgical removal of a myoma (fibroid) of the uterus
Myomectomy
The muscular layer of the uterus
Myometrium
The first 4 weeks (28 days) after birth
Neonatal
The total number of pregnancies in which the patient has given birth to a fetus at or beyond 20 weeks gestational age or an infant weighing more than 500g
Parity
The outer layer of the uterus, may also be referred to as the serosal layer
Perimetrium
Secondary sexual development induced by sex steroids or from other sources such as ovarian tumors, adrenal tumors, or steroid use
Pseudoprecocious puberty
The uterine body tilts backward and comes in contact with the cervix, forming an acute angle between the body and the cervix
Retroflexion
The uterine body tilts backward, without a bend where the cervix and the body meet
Retroversion
Common congenital malformation malformation of the uterus that results in a single septum that separates two endometrial cavities
Septate uterus
Congenital malformation of the uterus that results in a normal uterine contour with an endometrium that branches into two horns
Subseptate uterus
Congenital malformation of the uterus that results in a uterus with one horn
Unicornuate uterus
Procedure used to block the blood supply to a leiomyoma
Uterine artery embolization
Congenital malformation of the uterus that results in the complete duplication of the uterus, cervix, and vagina
Uterus didelphys
Occlusion or imperforation of the vagina; can be congenital or acquired
Vaginal atresia
The portion of the vagina remaining after a hysterectomy
Vaginal cuff
Recesses of the vagina
Vaginal fornices
The longest and most tortuous segment of the fallopian tube
Ampulla
Hairlike projections within the fallopian tube
Cilia
The remaining structure of the corpus lute after its deterioration
Corpus Albicans
Temporary endocrine gland that results from the rupture of the Graafian follicle after ovulation
Corpus Luteum
The corpus luteum that is maintained during an early pregnancy for the purpose of producing estrogen and primarily progesterone
Corpus Luteum of Pregnancy
Structure that contains the developing oocyte
Culumus Oophorus
The outer germ cell layer of the embryo that develops into the skin, hair, nails, and other structures
Ectoderm
The germ cell layer of the embryo that develops into the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts
Endoderm
The name for the dominant follicle prior to ovulation
Graafian follicle
A radiographie procedure that uses a dye instilled into the endometrial cavity and Fallopian tubes to evaluate for internal abnormalities
Hysterosalpingography
Destruction or breaking down
Lysis
Developing into cancer
Malignant Degeneration
