Multimodality imaging of the postpartum or posttermination uterus: evaluation using ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Overview

Postpartum and posttermination complications are common causes of morbidity and mortality in women of reproductive age. These complications can be broadly categorized into vascular, infectious, surgical, and neoplastic etiologies, or are due to ectopic implantation of placental or endometrial tissue. Causes of postpartum vascular complications include retained products of conception, arteriovenous malformation, and pseudoaneurysm. Infectious entities include endometritis, abscess, wound cellulitis, and pelvic septic thrombophlebitis. Postsurgical complications include uterine scar dehiscence, bladder flap hematoma, and subfascial hematoma. Neoplastic complications include the spectrum of gestational trophoblastic neoplasms. Ectopic tissue implantation complications include abnormal placentation and uterine scar endometriosis. Imaging is essential for diagnosis, and radiologists must be familiar with and aware of these entities so that accurate treatment and management can be obtained. In this review, we illustrate the imaging findings of common postpartum and posttermination complications on ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.