Inflammation within the fallopian tube, seen as a thick tubular adnexal mass with posterior enhancement, is called what?

• A. Endometritis
• B. Salpingitis
• C. Hydrosalpinx
• D. PID

Answer: (B)

Salpingitis. Inflammation of the fallopian tube produces a thickened, dilated tubular structure in the adnexa. The wall edema from active inflammation makes the tube look like a bulky, tubular mass, and posterior acoustic enhancement is typical because the lumen contains fluid. This combination of a thick-walled, fluid-filled tube is a classic ultrasound clue to salpingitis, which is a key component of pelvic inflammatory disease. Hydrosalpinx refers to a dilated tube filled with fluid with a typically thinner wall and less inflammatory change; endometritis involves the uterus, not the fallopian tube; and PID describes the broader infection of the upper genital tract, of which salpingitis is the tube-specific manifestation.