Publication:

MRI diagnosis of tubal torsion: the whirlpool sign

Isolated fallopian tube torsion is a rare cause of acute lower abdominal pain with multiple described contributory factors resulting in tubal necrosis and gangrene. While clinical presentation is nonspecific with a wide clinical differential diagnosis, a combination of sonographic or MRI whirlpool sign with a dilated fallopian tube and normal appearing ipsilateral ovary helps make a preoperative diagnosis of tubal torsion. We report a case of a middle aged female who was diagnosed with tubal torsion on preoperative MRI and is the first description of MRI whirlpool sign for diagnosis of tubal torsion from the Indian subcontinent to our knowledge. The whirlpool mass in tubal torsion is much smaller than ovarian torsion and may be less obvious on ultrasound as in present case.