Air in vagina : indicator of intrapelvic pathology on CT

Computed tomography of the normal female pelvis may show the presence of a tiny air bubble within the vagina. Among 2 800 female abdomino-pelvic CTs, 27 were found to contain large amounts of intravaginal air. Twenty-three patients suffered from pelvic malignancy while in 4, non-tumorous pelvic pathology was present. Detection of air bubbles in the vagina is abnormal and indicates, in the majority of cases, an intrapelvic malignancy.