Sonography in chronic distension of the abdomen and apparent pregnancy

Objective : To find out the causes of chronic distension of the abdomen in women who thought they were pregnant; and the role of sonography in their management. Method : A retrospective study Results : There were 394 patients in the study. The mean age was 36.2 ± 1.7. Uterine fibroids (42%) and ovarian benign tumours (11%) were the main findings. Cancer of the cervix (10%) cancer of endometrium 3.3%; cancer of ovary (3.6%) and medical conditions – obesity (6.3%), cirrhosis of liver 3.8% were also important findings. The sensitivity for using sonography in diagnosing fibroids, ovarian cancers and benign ovarian tumours was 90.4%; 66%; and 86% respectively. Conclusion : Sonography can exclude pregnancy and it is reliable in diagnosing many causes of chronic abdominal distension. Histopathology is mandatory in ovarian tumours