Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the female upper reproductive tract — the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries — most commonly caused by sexually transmitted bacteria. PID can lead to serious complications including tubo-ovarian abscess, hydrosalpinx, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. On ultrasound, findings associated with PID may include thickened, fluid-filled fallopian tubes (pyosalpinx), enlarged ovaries with blurred margins, complex free fluid in the pelvis, and tubo-ovarian abscess appearing as a complex mass with both solid and cystic components. While PID is primarily a clinical diagnosis based on symptoms and examination, ultrasound plays an important role in assessing severity and identifying complications that may require hospital admission or drainage procedures.
Sonography Term