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A comparison between ultrasonic and clinical diagnostic reliability in early pregnancy complications


RFP Kukard
M Coetzee

Abstract

The diagnostic value of ultrasound is demonstrated in 300 patients suffering complications in early pregnancy. A detailed comparison was made dividing patients according to the clinical presentation and also correlating clinical and ultrasonic diagnoses with the final outcome. The percentage accuracy obtained by the clinician and the ultrasonic service are compared in the various subgroups. Once there are diagnostic problems, ultrasound is consistently far superior to the clinician in distinguishing the various early pregnancy complications with an over-all accuracy of 87,2% compared with 32,7%. A knowledge of the differential reliability of diagnostic ultrasound is important if one is to use the method correctly and improve patient care.

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eISSN: 2078-5135
print ISSN: 0256-9574