Paediatric gynaecological ultrasound

Ultrasound (US) is the first-line imaging tool for assessment of the female pelvis, allowing increasingly high resolution images and excellent soft tissue contrast without need for sedation or radiation. Transabdominal US remains the standard technique; the transperineal approach may be useful in neonates (cloacal malformations, mullerian anomalies, ectopic urethral insertions) and transvaginal US should be considered in older, sexually active adolescents for diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. Indications include follow-up of antenatal findings, eg neonatal ovarian cysts, ambiguous genitalia, mullerian-uterovaginal anomalies, pelvic masses and pain, prepubertal bleeding, delayed and precocious puberty and in the clinical assessment of eating disorders.