women s health issues
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
Diagnosis of Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
A doctor's evaluation, based on specific diagnostic criteria Ultrasonography or another imaging test Sometimes laparoscopy Doctors may suspect pelvic congestion syndrome when women have pelvic pain but a Pelvic Examination does not detect inflammation or another abnormality. For doctors to diagnose pelvic congestion syndrome, pain must have been present for more than 6 months and the ovaries must be tender when they are examined. Ultrasonography to check for varicose veins in the pelvis can help doctors confirm the diagnosis of pelvic congestion syndrome. However, another imaging test may be needed to confirm the diagnosis. These tests may include venography (x-rays of veins taken after a radiopaque contrast agent is injected into a vein in the groin), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance venography. If the pain is troublesome and the cause has not been identified, laparoscopy may be done. In this procedure, doctors make a small incision just below the navel and insert a viewing tube to directly view the structures of the pelvis. 