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Objectives: This work aimed to compare the use of shear wave elastography on the maternal cervix with transvaginal (TV) and transabdominal (TA) ultrasound approaches to assess differences in shear wave speeds (SWSs) obtained for possible clinical use. Methods: In both TV and TA ultrasound approaches, SWS measurements were attempted at the anterior and posterior portions of the internal and external cervical os on 38 gravid participants. Results: A larger number of SWS measurements were obtained at the anterior portion of the cervix by both approaches. The numbers of reliable measurements of the SWS obtained at the anterior and posterior portions of the internal and external os were 99, 65, 103, and 77 in the TA approach and 93, 53, 110, and 87 in the TV approach, respectively. The mean difference in −the SWS obtained between the TV and TA ultrasound approaches was statistically significant at the anterior and posterior portions of the internal os, with differences of 0.67 and 0.52 m/s (P <.05). Differences were not significant at the external os both anteriorly and posteriorly, with differences of 0.15 and − 0.07 m/s (P >.05). Conclusions: Both TA and TV ultrasound approaches may be used to obtain SWSs in the maternal cervix. This study has shown that SWSs obtained by each approach need to be considered independently, as the TV approach produced significantly greater SWSs at the internal os compared to the TA approach, but the values were similar at the external os. Access the CME test here and search by article title. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This research aimed to identify biological and technical confounders in the nonpregnant cervix when applying shear wave elastography with an endovaginal transducer. Methods: Cervical speed measurements were obtained at the internal and external os in the anterior and posterior portions of the cervix using a transvaginal approach in 69 nongravid patients. Results: Reliable measurements were obtained at the external os and internal os, anteriorly and posteriorly, in 63, 55, 55, and 26 patients, respectively. The mean speed obtained at the external os, anteriorly and posteriorly, was 2.52 ± 0.49 m/s and 2.87 ± 0.63 m/s, respectively, and at the internal os, anteriorly and posteriorly, 3.29 ± 0.79 m/s and 4.10 ± 1.11 m/s, respectively. The difference in speed between all regions was statistically significant (P < .05). Conclusion: Ultrasound‐induced artifacts appear to affect the transmission of the elastographic main pulse, with cervical position contributing to suboptimal shear wave production in the posterior cervix. Reliable shear wave propagation can be achieved in the anterior cervix in most patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]