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Next Step?
My ultrasound came back negative for inguinal hernia. I found this piece online and wonder how accurate it is? My ultrasound was done while I was lying down and asked to cough twice, once for each side.
“Ultrasounds for hernias must be done as a dynamic study. That means, standing, coughing, walking around. It should never be done while lying flat. That would likely result in a “false negative” study, that is, a report that says there is no hernia, when in fact there is one. In our study, we found that for small hernias, 50% of the time, the ultrasound was falsely negative. It is possible that this is because of technique more than the ultrasound quality itself.
If there is no actual bulge at your groin area, but your symptoms are suggestive of an inguinal hernia, then you fall into the category of an occult or hidden hernia. This is most likely to be found among women. In these circumstances, I recommend an ultrasound, and if that is not diagnostic, then a dynamic MRI. We have noted in our studies that the dynamic portion of the MRI pelvis is actually highly important in helping diagnose small occult hernias. A flat MRI pelvis may be adequate in many situations.”
What next steps should I take?
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1 Reply
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Next Step?
Seek consultation by a true hernia specialist. If it were me I would also order dynamic MRI pelvis with valsalva if the exam and clinical history are suggestive.
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