Researcher(s)
- Brenna Bartholomew, Biological Sciences, Delaware Technical Community College
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Sharon Gould, NA, Nemours
Abstract
Ovarian torsion or adnexal torsion is an uncommon emergent condition that results from twisting of the blood supply to the ovary and/or fallopian tube with a decrease in blood flow. This situation must be diagnosed and corrected quickly to avoid infarction of the ovary. The symptoms of ovarian torsion can mimic other conditions, and identifying patients with ovarian torsion is challenging. This study modifies a previously developed scoring system designed to identify patients with ovarian torsion. The validity of this modified scoring system is tested with a larger, more diverse population than evaluated previously. Retrospective chart review was performed including 418 cases of possible torsion between January 2016 and December 2019. Inclusion criteria were: female
gender assigned at birth, had a pelvic ultrasound or MRI during the study time frame, had both ovaries visible on the imaging, and were menarchal. History of vomiting, ovarian size, and ovarian volume ratio were tabulated. The modified scoring system was applied based on previous reports and was analyzed for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy in predicting ovarian/adnexal torsion or the absence of torsion. We hypothesize that even when applied to a more diverse population with possible ovarian torsion, the scoring system will correctly identify most patients with torsion.