Transvaginal color Doppler for the assessment of pelvic circulation.

Transvaginal color Doppler was used to analyse a group of 56 patients including 41 with proven pelvic masses and 15 infertility patients with normal pelvic anatomy. All patients were examined by ultrasound before laparoscopy or/and laparotomy. The ultrasonographer had not been informed of other clinical findings and indications for operative treatment. Comparison of blood flow characteristics within uterine fibromas and ovarian malignancies revealed less impedance and higher blood velocity in cases of malignancy. When predicting the malignant nature of pelvic tumors, no false-negative results were encountered, and only one false positive diagnosis of malignancy.