Ultrasound examination of pubertal girls and of patients with gonadal dysgenesis

Girls with hypogonadism caused by hypothalamic lesions or chromosomal abnormalities need accurate pelvic exams to delinate pelvic structures. This work presents an evaluation of the usefulness of ultrasound examination of the pelvis in females with aberrant sexual development. Girls with these problems often need multiple pelvic examinations to monitor their uterine response to hormone therapy. Thirty-two patients with a variety of abnormalities including Mullerian agenesis and hypothalamic hypogonadism as well as patients with abnormal karyotypes commonly associated with gonadal dysgenesis and male pseudohermaphrodism were studied. Repeat ultrasound scans were performed to quantitate uterine response to therapy. Ovarian visualization was usually possible, even in prepuberal girls. Following some patients at risk for gonadal tumors may be possible using repeat ultrasound examinations. The cooperation of the patients as well as of their families was gratifying, and the girls appeared to be more relaxed during ultrasound examination than during a pelvic examination.