Objective: To evaluate the impact of an ultrasound finding of a pseudo-sac (PS), a uterine sac without a double decidual ring or a yolk sac, on the management of cases with possible ectopic pregnancy.
Design: A retrospective review of a series of cases.
Setting: A general hospital.
Patient(s): Seventy-seven patients who had a diagnostic laparoscopy over a period of 3 years for suspected ectopic pregnancy.
Main outcome measure(s): A logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of the ultrasound finding of a PS on predicting a negative finding at laparoscopy.
Result(s): The report of a PS is significantly associated with a false-positive diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.
Conclusion(s): A diagnosis of PS should not be interpreted as indicative of an ectopic pregnancy because radiological differentiation between an early intrauterine pregnancy failure and an ectopic pregnancy is not possible.