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  Background & Objectives: Patients in unstable condition with blunt abdominal trauma require rapid evaluation of abdominal organs to assess the need for laparatomy. Ultrasonography is a fast technique which can be used in the resuscitation area to detect free intraperitoneal fluid as an indication of intraabdominal injury. This prospective study was designed to determine the efficiency of emergency abdominal sonography for evaluating patients with blunt abdominal trauma and to compare the accrurcy of ultrasonography with the results of diagnostic peritoneal lavage and CT scan.

  Methods: Emergency sonography was performed prior to diagnostic peritoneal lavage and CT scan on 174 patients with blunt abdorminal trauma. Sonography was performed with FAST ( Focused Abdominal Sonography for Trauma) technique and six area of the abdomen where examined to detect free intraperitoneal fluid.

  Results: The results of this study revealed that ultrasonography has a sensitivity of 95% a specificity of 80.8%., and an overall accuracy of 89.4% for detecting free intraperitoneal fluid. The positive and negative predictive value of sonography was 89.4% and 90.1% respectively.

  Conclusion: Ultrasonography is a reliable method for the emergent evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma and can be used instead of diagnostic peritoneal lavage.

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 Background & Objective: Developmental dislocation of hip (DDH) as an inherited joint disorder results from external location of the head of femora from the acetabulum.Early diagnosis of this disorder is very important and any delay may result in long life handicap. Nowadays new methods such as sonogrphy are recommended in diagnosis of this disorder. Radiology and physical examination are traditional methods. This study was designed to evaluate the results of sonographical, radiological and physical examination findings in 100 infants who were suspected to have DDH.

 Methods: This analytical-cross sectional study was done in private clinics from June 2004 to June 2005. The one hundred infants who were suspected to have DDH in physical examination entered the study. A questionnaire was completed for each infant, and then sonography and radioghray have been done for them. The data were collected and analyzed by statistical programs.

 Results: Among 100 infants 48% were female and 52% male, with mean age 42±7.23.In 44% they were the firstborn.58% had normal delivery and 42% cesarean section. 15% had breech presentation. In 28% radiological and 56% sonographical methods showed findings in favor of DDH.

 Conclusion: This study showed, simultaneous physical and sonographic examination especially during the first month result in early and precise diagnosis of DDH, on the other hand it does not have radiologic side effects.

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Background & Objectives: Venous thromboembolism is a common disorder that is difficult to diagnose clinically but carries significant mortality if untreated. Many diagnostic imaging algorithms for the detection of PTE, including ventilation perfusion lung scan, Doppler ultrasonography of lower extremity and pulmonary CT angiography. This study's aim was the comparison of Doppler ultrasonography of lower extremity with perfusion -ventilation lung scan in patients suspected for pulmonary emboli and finding the best approach for diagnosis of the suspected pulmonary emboli.
Methods: One hundred twenty patients of suspected pulmonary embolism referred by internists to Doppler ultrasonography of lower limbs Department of Imam's Khomeini Hospital were studied. The patients were studied within 48 hour post suspected pulmonary emboli and evaluated with V/Q scan and Doppler ultrasonography.
Results: The prevalence of DVT in lower limbs of patients suspected of pulmonary emboli was %37.5. Results of lung scan in patients suspected pulmonary emboli are as below: High probability in %17.5, intermediate probability in %27.5, low probability in %41.5 and normal in %13.5 Results of lung scan in patients suspected  for pulmonary embolism with DVT are as follow: High probability in %24.4, Intermediate probability in %33.3, low probability in %26.7 and normal in %15.6. Mean age in patients with and without DVT Was 52.53 14.13 and 56.22 17.63 year respectively.
Conclusion: Patients suspected for pulmonary emboli with normal lung scan needs more assessment for DVT in lower extremity with Doppler ultrasonography. Normal Doppler ultrasonography of lower extremity doesn't exclude performing lung scan for approving pulmonary emboli. Doppler ultrasonography and lung scan both need evaluating patients suspected for pulmonary embolism.

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  Background & Objectives: Mastalgia is a common breast disorder affecting lots of women during reproductive ages and leads to cancer phobia in some women. It increase clinical referring and disturb the social activities and familial communities. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical, sonogarphical and mammographic findings in patient with mastalgia.

  Method: This cross-sectional study was done on 160 patients with mastalgia who referred to gynecologic clinic, Yahyanejad hospital, Babol University of medical sciences. They were examined by gynecologist, then in patients under 35 years sonography and older than 35 years mammography was done. Other information including age, menarche age, age of first pregnancy, number of delivery, history of oral contraceptive usage or hormone replacement therapy, family history of cancer, knowledge of diet recommendation for mastalgia and correlation of mastalgia with menstrual cycle were recorded for all patients. Data were analyzed using SPSS10.

  Results: The mean age of patients was 34.8±9.9. Tenderness was observed in 122 (76.3%) patients. Fibrocystic disease was seen in 42 (53.2%) patients in mammography and 50 (40.3%) in sonography. There were normal findings in 29 patients (36.7%) in mammography and 60 patients (48.4%) in sonography.

Conclusion: In the majority of women with mastalgia, sonography and mammography showed normal or fibrocystic changes. A comprehensive history and breast exam is essential to make decision.

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  Background & Objectives: Mastalgia is a common breast disorder affecting lots of women during reproductive ages and leads to cancer phobia in some women. It increase clinical referring and disturb the social activities and familial communities. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical, sonogarphical and mammographic findings in patient with mastalgia.

  Method: This cross-sectional study was done on 160 patients with mastalgia who referred to gynecologic clinic, Yahyanejad hospital, Babol University of medical sciences. They were examined by gynecologist, then in patients under 35 years sonography and older than 35 years mammography was done. Other information including age, menarche age, age of first pregnancy, number of delivery, history of oral contraceptive usage or hormone replacement therapy, family history of cancer, knowledge of diet recommendation for mastalgia and correlation of mastalgia with menstrual cycle were recorded for all patients. Data were analyzed using SPSS10.

  Results: The mean age of patients was 34.8±9.9. Tenderness was observed in 122 (76.3%) patients. Fibrocystic disease was seen in 42 (53.2%) patients in mammography and 50 (40.3%) in sonography. There were normal findings in 29 patients (36.7%) in mammography and 60 patients (48.4%) in sonography.

Conclusion: In the majority of women with mastalgia, sonography and mammography showed normal or fibrocystic changes. A comprehensive history and breast exam is essential to make decision.

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Background & objectives: 10 year survival rates for thyroid cancer is about 90%, but papillary thyroid cancer often spread to regional lymph nodes resulting in survival rate falls below 90%. In patients with thyroid cancer, cervical lymph node metastasis risk is about 20 to 50 percent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between ultrasound results and the involvement of lymph nodes before thyroidectomy and compare it with the pathologic response after thyroidectomy in patients with non-medullary thyroid cancer.
Methods: 60 patients with thyroid cancer were randomly selected and entered into the study. Ultrasonographic examination of cervical lymph nodes was performed by two radiologists using an ultrasound machine in all patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Patients underwent total thyroidectomy and neck lymph node dissection by surgeon.
Results: In papillary thyroid cancer, there was a significant relationship between ultrasonographic results and pathologic outcomes in determining the presence of cervical lymph node metastasis before thyroidectomy. And also, there was a significant relationship between the results of ultrasonography and pathologic findings in determining the location of affected lymph nodes.
Conclusion: Compared to histological examination, ultrasonography can be a useful tool in determining the location of affected cervical lymph node in thyroid cancers before surgery.

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Background & objectives: In recent years، Computed Tomography (CT scan) has become the Gold Standard for detecting urinary stones. This study was conducted to predict the size of possible passage of ureteral stones based on clinical signs, lab data (e.g. Ultrasounds) in patients with small passable stones and to prevent CT scan, which requires high costs and x-ray exposure.
Methods: In this cross- sectional study, fifty consecutive patients from emergency room who had clinical symptoms of renal colic and urinary tract stones were recruited by simple non-random sampling. After obtaining the primary data, all of them underwent sonography (US), and in those without sings of stone in US، CT scan was performed. Based on the CT scan, the patients were divided into two main groups: 1) patients who had no ureteral stones or had ureteral stones <5mm, and 2) patient who had ureteral stones ≥5mm. All gathered data were analyzed by t-test and chi-square test.
Results: Among our proposed variables, previous history of urinary stone (p=0.05), irritative urinary symptoms (e.g. dysuria, frequency and urgency) (p=0.001), gross hematuria (p=0.049) and degree of hydronephrosis (p=0.029) had statistically significant relationship with the presence, size and spontaneous expulsive potential of ureteral stones.
Conclusion: Based on our results, negative history of urinary stones, absence of irritative urinary symptoms and gross hematuria and absence or mild degree of hydronephrosis in sonography were in favor of small (<5mm) or passable ureteral stones for which CT scan can be omitted.