Pelvic ultrasonography in girls with precocious puberty, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, obesity, or hirsutism.
Real-time ultrasonography of the pelvic organs was performed on 151 girls with various complete and incomplete forms of precocious puberty, 20 girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, 20 with hirsutism, 18 with obesity, and 133 age-matched normal girls. Uterine and ovarian volumes were calculated and the ovarian morphologic picture was classified as homogeneous, nonhomogeneous (less than three small cystic areas), microcystic (four or more small cystic areas less than 9 mm in diameter), follicular (at least one cystic area greater than 9 mm), and macrocystic (large cystic area greater than 20 mm). Ultrasound imaging allowed an easy distinction between true precocious puberty and premature thelarche or idiopathic premature adrenarche. It was also helpful in the diagnosis of transient sexual precocity, although in these cases the differential diagnosis of precocious puberty can be difficult. In postmenarcheal patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, ultrasound study showed a low uterine volume and, frequently, a macrocyst in the ovary. In hirsute girls and in a few obese patients, ovaries had an increased volume and a microcystic structure, similar to those in polycystic ovary syndrome. Pelvic ultrasonography can be useful not only in diagnosing disorders in sexual development but also for greater understanding of the pathogenesis of these and other disorders.