Transvaginal hysterosonography in the evaluation of small endoluminal masses.

Transvaginal sonography is highly sensitive for detecting endometrial mass lesions, but it is nonspecific. Biopsies performed on patients with abnormal findings seen on TVS often are negative. We performed transvaginal hysterosonography prospectively on 48 consecutive patients with endometrial thickness demonstrated on TVS to be between 5 and 10 mm to assess whether this technique would be useful in the evaluation of such patients. TVHS is a simple, painless technique that is performed by placing a small catheter into the endometrial canal and infusing a small amount of saline solution under sonographic visualization. Of 48 suspected lesions, TVHS confirmed only 19 endoluminal masses: 11 fibroids and eight polyps. Polyps tended to be homogeneously echogenic and to have a pedunculated attachment to the uterine wall without interruption of the endometrial lining. Fibroids showed more heterogeneous echogenicity and had a more sessile attachment. Four patients in our series had false-negative biopsy results prior to having had endometrial mass lesions depicted on TVHS. TVHS may prevent unnecessary biopsies in those patients who appear to have abnormalities on TVS. By depicting the nature of the attachment of endoluminal masses to the uterine wall more clearly, TVHS also may help direct subsequent biopsy procedures.     

Hysterosonography: a key to what is inside the uterus

The pursuit of endometrial histology is often prompted by postmenopausal or dysfunctional endometrial bleeding, a pathologically-thickened central endometrial complex on ultrasound, infertility, or routine screening caused by risk factors for underlying pathology. If a focal endoluminal process is responsible, it can remain undiagnosed when a blind method of biopsy is used. Transvaginal ultrasound coupled with hysterosonography can provide the necessary information to triage these patients to the most appropriate tissue sampling technique and avoid the common problem of a false-negative biopsy result. In many circumstances, a focal process can be more specifically characterized and localized during hysterosonography, information which could also help direct subsequent hysteroscopic biopsy if needed.     

Sonographic assessment of the endometrium in osteopenic postmenopausal women treated with idoxifene.

Idoxifene is a novel selective estrogen receptor modulator that has shown beneficial effects on bone turnover and lipid metabolism in clinical studies. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that idoxifene has estrogen antagonist activities on the endometrium. This paper describes the results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, and dose ranging study involving 331 osteopenic postmenopausal women who were treated with either placebo or idoxifene (2.5, 5, or 10 mg/day) for 12 weeks. In these women, endometrial assessment was carried out by transvaginal sonography and endometrial biopsy on selected patients at baseline and on all women at the end of treatment. Women with an endometrial thickness greater than 10 mm were excluded from the study. Aspiration endometrial biopsy was performed on women with an endometrial thickness between 6 and 10 mm at baseline and on all women after treatment. Of the 298 biopsies performed in the subjects at the end of treatment, 99% of the women were reported to have either a benign or atrophic endometrium (85%) or insufficient tissue for diagnosis (14%). Proliferative histologic features were reported in two cases (1%) (2.5 mg idoxifene) and atypical hyperplasia in one placebo patient. Even though idoxifene use was associated with a dose related increase in endometrial thickness as evaluated by transvaginal sonography, no relationship was established between endometrial histologic features and change in endometrial thickness. On histologic analysis, the increase in endometrial thickness seen on transvaginal sonography was not associated with proliferative or hyperplastic change in the epithelial (glandular) endometrial tissue. In 48 patients (16% of total) transvaginal sonography showed endometrial thickening of 5 mm or more over the study period. The endometrial histologic features were benign in all these patients. Nineteen percent of women developed intraluminal fluid, even though endometrial thickness was normal and unchanged and histologic features were normal. Our data show that after 3 months of treatment, no significant pathologic changes of the endometrium were observed. Our data indicate that measurements of endometrial thickness by transvaginal sonography may falsely suggest the presence of endometrial pathologic changes in some postmenopausal women treated with idoxifene. Additional testing using saline infusion sonohysterography is an important part of the transvaginal sonography protocol in equivocal or abnormal cases to exclude focal lesions such as polyps. In addition, our data indicate that pathologic changes of the endometrium are extremely rare in the treated group, indicative of its short term safety. Continued investigation such as this will be needed to establish long term safety.     

Endometrial carcinoma presenting as hematometra mimicking a large pelvic cyst.

Large pelvic cysts are commonly seen in gynecologic practice; their heterogeneous origin is reflected in their pleomorphic clinical features. We report the case of a 64-year-old multiparous postmenopausal woman with an unusual manifestation of endometrial adenocarcinoma that presented as hematometra mimicking a large pelvic cyst. In this case, hematometra was well demonstrated by transabdominal sonography, but transvaginal sonography allowed better visualization of the endometrial lining and suggested the correct diagnosis of endometrial cancer. Abnormal vaginal bleeding or hematometra in postmenopausal women should lead to assessment of the endometrial mucosa. Transvaginal sonography can be used to visualize neoplastic lesions in the endometrium when hematometra is detected through transabdominal sonography.     

Endometrial blood flow mapping using transvaginal power Doppler sonography in women with postmenopausal bleeding and thickened endometrium.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of transvaginal power Doppler sonography to discriminate between benign and malignant endometrial conditions in women presenting with postmenopausal bleeding and thickened endometrium at baseline sonography. METHODS: Ninety-one postmenopausal women (median age, 58 years; range, 47-83 years) presenting with uterine bleeding and a thickened endometrium (> or = 5-mm double-layer endometrial thickness) on transvaginal sonography were included in this prospective study. Endometrial blood flow distribution was assessed in all patients by power Doppler immediately after B-mode transvaginal sonography. Three different vascular patterns were defined: Pattern A: multiple-vessel pattern, Pattern B: single-vessel pattern and Pattern C: scattered-vessel pattern. Histological diagnoses were obtained in all cases. No patient taking tamoxifen citrate or receiving hormone replacement therapy was included. RESULTS: Histological diagnoses were as follows: endometrial cancer: 33 (36%), endometrial polyp: 37 (41%), endometrial hyperplasia: 14 (15%), endometrial cystic atrophy: 7 (8%). Blood flow was found in 97%, 92%, 79% and 85% of cases of carcinoma, polyp, hyperplasia and endometrial cystic atrophy, respectively. A total of 81.3% of vascularized endometrial cancers showed Pattern A, 97.1% of vascularized polyps exhibited Pattern B and 72.7% of vascularized hyperplasias showed Pattern C. Sensitivity and specificity for endometrial cancer were 78.8% and 100%. For endometrial polyp these respective values were 89.2% and 87% and for hyperplasia they were 57.1% and 88.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal power Doppler blood flow mapping is useful to differentiate benign from malignant endometrial pathology in women presenting with postmenopausal bleeding and thickened endometrium at baseline sonography.     

Comparison of sonography,sonohysterography, and hysteroscopy for evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding.

We compared transvaginal sonography, sonohysterography, and diagnostic hysteroscopy in the evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding, Sixty-eight women 40 or older with abnormal uterine bleeding were assigned to undergo either transvaginal sonography or sonohysterography. All subjects then had diagnostic hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. Patients with abnormal findings underwent operative hysteroscopy or definitive therapy. Transvaginal sonography, sonohysterography, and diagnostic hysteroscopy revealed a sensitivity of 95%, 90%, and 78%, and a specificity of 65%, 83%, and 54%, respectively. The average cost for transvaginal sonography of sonohysterography was $195 and the cost for diagnostic hysteroscopy was $675. Transvaginal sonography and sonohysterography are cost-effective alternatives and more sensitive diagnostic tests than office diagnostic hysteroscopy.     

Comparative study of transvaginal sonography and hysteroscopy for the detection of pathologic endometrial lesions in women with postmenopausal bleeding.

Dilatation and curettage is used as the "gold standard" for diagnosing pathologic endometrial lesions in women with postmenopausal bleeding. In this group of women, about 10% have an endometrial cancer and an additional 20% have some other endometrial abnormality. However, some abnormalities, such as endometrial polyps and submucous fibroids, are difficult to diagnose by dilatation and curettage. In such cases, combining transvaginal sonography with hysteroscopy may be of value. This study compared the use of transvaginal sonography and hysteroscopy for evaluation of the uterine cavity in women with postmenopausal bleeding. The study included 51 women, 39 of whom had an abnormally thick ( > 4 mm) endometrium as measured by transvaginal sonography, and 35 of 39 had an abnormal appearance at hysteroscopy. The sensitivity and specificity for the measurement of endometrial thickness using transvaginal sonography to diagnose an endometrial abnormality were 100% and 75%, respectively. The corresponding figures for hysteroscopy were 97% and 88%. In all women with an endometrial thickness of 8 mm as measured by transvaginal sonography, hysteroscopy is identified as an abnormality. The study indicates that transvaginal sonography reveals an endometrial thickness of > or = 8 mm and the histopathologic diagnosis after dilatation and curettage is atrophic endometrial polyp or submucous myoma.     

Transvaginal color Doppler sonography versus sonohysterography in the diagnosis of endometrial polyps.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic performance of transvaginal color Doppler sonography (TVCD) and sonohysterography (SHG) in the diagnosis of endometrial polyps. METHODS: Fifty-one women (mean age, 51 years; range, 27-75 years) with clinical or B-mode sonographic suspicion of endometrial polyps were included in this prospective study. Transvaginal color Doppler sonography first and then SHG were performed in all patients. On TVCD, a polyp was suspected when a vascular pedicle penetrating the endometrium from the myometrium was identified. On SHG, a polyp was suspected when a focal polypoid lesion was seen within the endometrial cavity. All patients underwent hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy, the findings of which were used as the criterion standard. Sensitivity and specificity for TVCD and SHG were calculated and compared by the McNemar test. RESULTS: Hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy findings were as follows: endometrial polyps, 41; endometrial hyperplasia, 3; cystic atrophy, 4; proliferative endometrium, 2; and endometritis, 1. Sensitivity and specificity for TVCD and SHG were 95% and 80% and 100% and 80%, respectively (McNemar test, P = .5) CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal color Doppler sonography and SHG had similar performance for diagnosing endometrial polyps.     

Limitations of transvaginal sonography and color Doppler imaging in the differentiation of endometrial carcinoma from benign lesions.

We conducted this study to test the hypothesis that transvaginal ultrasonography and color Doppler imaging of the uterine arteries are complementary methods in the assessment of patients with postmenopausal bleeding. Sixty-seven patients were studied. Seventeen suffered from endometrial carcinoma, 12 from benign endometrial lesions (six polyp, six hyperplasia) and 38 had no organic pathology. Transvaginal ultrasonography was found to be superior to CDI in the detection of pathologic conditions of the endometrium, but neither method can distinguish benign lesions from their malignant counterparts. CDI does not give additional information over that obtained by transvaginal ultrasonography in the assessment of patients with postmenopausal bleeding, and the limitations of both methods in the differentiation of endometrial carcinoma from benign lesions need to be recognized.     

经腹及经阴道超声、宫腔超声造影和宫腔镜诊断宫内病变

目的 评价经腹、经阴道超声及官腔超声造影、官腔镜对宫内病变的诊断价值。方法 常规经腹部、经阴道超声及生理盐水灌注官腔后经阴道超声观察宫内病变，官腔镜检查治疗宫内病变。结果 88例经腹超声，45例经阴道超声，39例官腔超声造影，23例行官腔镜检查治疗，数种方法结果比较：官腔超声造影和官腔镜的敏感性、准确性和阳性预测值最高，分别为94．29％、90．24％、94．29％和95、65％、91、67％、95．65％，两者差异无显著性意义。结论 经阴道超声、官腔超声造影是诊断官腔内病变的一种简便、经济、无痛苦无损伤、诊断率高的方法。     

经阴道超声与宫腔镜评价不孕者宫腔因素的比较

目的 以宫腔镜为金标准，评估经阴道超声在诊断不孕患者宫腔异常中的意义。 方法 对在我院不孕门诊进行阴道超声、宫腔镜检查的171例患者资料进行回顾性分析。 结果 经宫腔镜检查发现异常宫腔99例（99／171，57．9％），包括：子宫内膜息肉42例（42．4％），宫腔粘连18例（18．2％），子宫内膜薄13例（13．1％），子宫内膜增生12例（12．1％），子宫内膜炎症8例（8．1％），子宫内膜息肉样增生6例（6．1％）。以宫腔镜为金标准，经阴道超声检查的敏感度及特异度分别为81．8％（81／99）、88．9oA（64／72）。其中超声诊断子宫内膜息肉的敏感度及特异度为83．3％（35／42）、98．4％（127／129）；诊断宫腔粘连的敏感度及特异度为66．7％（12／18）、100％；诊断子宫内膜增生、子宫内膜炎症敏感度及特异度分别为75％（8／12）、100％；87．5％（7／8）、100％。 结论 经阴道超声可作为是否行官腔镜检查的初筛方法，对有特殊病史如自然流产史、体外受精胚胎移植（in vitro fertilization，IVF-ET）失败的患者提倡常规官腔镜检查，二者的有机结合有益于发现潜在的不孕病因。     

子宫内膜病变的经阴道超声检查

目的 探讨经阴道超声诊断子宫内膜病变的临床价值。方法 回顾分析97例妇女(绝经前57例，绝经后40例)阴道超声检查结果并与其子宫内膜病理比较。结果 97例妇女子宫内膜活检的病理分类有内膜癌、内膜息肉、内膜增生过长等。其超声声像图表现以内膜增厚为主多伴内膜回声增强、不均或表现为宫腔内混合回声。结论 经阴道超声诊断子宫内膜病变具有较大的临床应用价值。     

宫腔镜与经阴道超声检查对绝经后子宫出血的诊断价值

目的比较宫腔镜与经阴道超声检查诊断绝经后子宫出血患者宫腔内病变的准确性。方法对有绝经后子宫出血病史的67例患者行阴道超声检查后,进行宫腔镜检查,记录检查结果,所有病例均行病理组织检查,最后将两种检查结果与病理组织检查结果进行比较,分别计算出敏感性、特异性、阳性预测率及阴性预测率。结果67例患者中29例经阴道超声检查为正常,其中16例(55.17%)病理证实子宫内膜无异常。38例经阴道超声检查诊断为宫腔病变的患者中有35例(92.11%)经病理组织检查证实。经阴道超声检查宫腔病变的敏感性、特异性、阳性预测率、阴性预测率分别为72.92%、84.21%、92.11%和55.17%。67例患者中18例宫腔镜检查为正常,其中1例(5.56%)病理组织检查证实有宫腔病变。49例宫腔镜检查诊断宫腔病变的患者中,46例(93.88%)经病理组织检查证实。宫腔镜检查的敏感性、特异性、阳性预测率、阴性预测率分别为97.87%、85.00%、93.88%和94.44%,其敏感性及阴性预测率显著高于阴道超声检查。结论经阴道超声检查是诊断绝经后子宫出血的首选检查方法;子宫内膜厚度大于4mm,宫腔镜直视下活检或诊断性刮宫是绝经后子宫出血的最佳诊断手段。     

Evaluation of the woman with postmenopausal bleeding: Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound-Sponsored Consensus Conference statement.

A panel of 14 physicians practicing medicine in the United States with expertise in radiology, obstetrics and gynecology, gynecologic oncology, hysteroscopy, epidemiology, and pathology was convened by the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound to discuss the role of sonography in women with postmenopausal bleeding. Broad objectives of this conference were (1) to advance understanding of the utility of different diagnostic techniques for evaluating the endometrium in women with postmenopausal bleeding; (2) to formulate useful and practical guidelines for evaluation of women with postmenopausal bleeding, specifically as it relates to the use of sonography; and (3) to offer suggestions for future research projects. October 24 and 25, 2000, Washington, DC, preceding the annual Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Advances in Sonography conference. Specific questions to the panel included the following: (1) What are the relative effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of using transvaginal sonography versus office (nondirected) endometrial biopsy as the initial examination for a woman with postmenopausal bleeding? (2) What are the sonographic standards for evaluating a woman with postmenopausal bleeding? (3) What are the abnormal sonographic findings in a woman with postmenopausal bleeding? (4) When should saline infusion sonohysterography or hysteroscopy be used in the evaluation of postmenopausal bleeding? (5) Should the diagnostic approach be modified for patients taking hormone replacement medications, tamoxifen, or other selective estrogen receptor modulators? Consensus recommendations were used to create an algorithm for evaluating women with postmenopausal bleeding. All panelists agreed that because postmenopausal bleeding is the most common presenting symptom of endometrial cancer, when postmenopausal bleeding occurs, clinical evaluation is indicated. The panelists also agreed that either transvaginal sonography or endometrial biopsy could be used safely and effectively as the first diagnostic step. Whether sonography or endometrial biopsy is used initially depends on the physician's assessment of patient risk, the nature of the physician's practice, the availability of high‐quality sonography, and patient preference. Similar sensitivities for detecting endometrial carcinoma are reported for transvaginal sonography when an endometrial thickness of greater than 5 mm is considered abnormal and for endometrial biopsy when "sufficient" tissue is obtained. Currently, with respect to mortality, morbidity, and quality‐of‐life end points, there are insufficient data to comment as to which approach is more effective. The conference concluded by identifying several important unanswered questions and suggestions that could be addressed by future research projects.     

Transvaginal sonography in the diagnosis of pelvic malignant recurrence: integration of sonography and needle-guided biopsy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of transvaginal sonography and sonography plus needle biopsy in detecting pelvic malignant recurrence.We scanned 24 patients already treated for gynecological malignancy, 21 of whom underwent needle biopsy under sonographic guidance. Thirteen patients were affected by cervical cancer, ten by ovarian cancer, and one by endometrial-ovarian carcinoma.Sonography detected 16 solid or cystic-solid masses (median size 52 mm, range 15-85 mm), one case of ascites, and one liquid mass (hematoma). All the patients in whom a suspicious mass was detected had recurrence. In the six patients in whom no mass was visible, two had recurrence. Needle biopsy was able to demonstrate recurrence in 17 patients (also in two false-negative scans). In one, even though sonography detected a mass, the histological sample was negative, but recurrence was later diagnosed by laparotomy.Accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of transvaginal sonography were respectively 91.6%, 89.4% and 100%. The positive predictive value was 100% and the negative predictive value was 71.4%. Transvaginal sonography was shown to be a useful means of detecting pelvic recurrence.     

超声宫腔造影在诊断子宫内膜病变中的价值

目的 应用超声宫腔造影技术诊断子宫内膜病变。方法采用超声宫腔造影检查，对32例子宫内膜病变的患者进行观察，取得不同切面进行分析。结果 子宫内膜增生过长8例(占25％)，子宫内膜息肉14例(占43．8％)，子宫粘膜下肌瘤9例(占28．1％)，子宫内膜癌1例(占3．1％)。经临床及宫腔镜证实，仅1例内膜息肉误诊为粘膜下肌瘤(其原因我们认为是由于刮宫后出血、凝集导致周边显像不清所致)，准确率达96．9％。结论 经阴道宫腔造影操作简便、易行、准确率高，是诊断子宫内膜病变的可行方法。     

Postmenopausal bleeding should be referred urgently

Postmenopausal bleeding is an episode of bleeding 12 months or more after the last menstrual period. It occurs in up to 10% of women aged over 55 years. All women with postmenopausal bleeding should be referred urgently. Endometrial cancer is present in around 10% of patients; most bleeding has a benign cause. The peak incidence for endometrial carcinoma is between 65 and 75 years of age. Causes of postmenopausal bleeding include: endometrial carcinoma; cervical carcinoma; vaginal atrophy; endometrial hyperplasia +/- polyp; cervical polyps; hormone-producing ovarian tumours; haematuria and rectal bleeding. The aim of assessment and investigation of postmenopausal bleeding is to identify a cause and exclude cancer. Assessment should start by taking a detailed history, with identification of risk factors for endometrial cancer, as well as a medication history covering use of HRT, tamoxifen and anticoagulants. Abdominal and pelvic examinations should be carried out to look for masses. Speculum examination should be performed to see if a source of bleeding can be identified, assess atrophic changes in the vagina and look for evidence of cervical malignancy or polyps. Ultrasound scan and endometrial biopsy are complementary. Ultrasound scan can define endometrial thickness and identify structural abnormalities of the uterus, endometrium and ovaries. Endometrial biopsy provides a histological diagnosis. The measurement of endometrial thickness aims to identify which women with postmenopausal bleeding are at significant risk of endometrial cancer. If the examination is normal, the bleeding has stopped and the endometrial thickness is < 5 mm on transvaginal ultrasound scan, no further action need be taken.     

Transvaginal sonographic evaluation of endometrial polyps.

The purpose of this study was to correlate the sonographic and histologic findings of focal lesions of the endometrium as depicted by transvaginal sonography. Sixteen focal endometrial masses were encountered during an 8 month period. The transvaginal sonographic appearance was correlated with findings at surgery or hysteroscopy. All uniformly hyperechoic endometrial masses were benign endometrial polyps. Five heterogeneous lesions were complicated endometrial polyps; one of these showed a focus of endometrial carcinoma. Four small and uniformly hypoechoic lesions were all prolapsed submucosal leiomyomata. Our results showed that a well-defined, uniformly hyperechoic mass within the endometrial cavity is most suggestive of a benign endometrial polyp. Larger masses with a heterogeneous appearance are nonspecific and warrant further evaluation and biopsy.     

宫腔声学造影对子宫内膜病变鉴别诊断的意义

目的 应用宫腔声学造影经阴道检查鉴别诊断子宫内膜病变。方法 应用美国HP8500多商业区协彩色诊断仪和国产子宫造影导管Q/GHXL37双腔管,在实时扫查下向导管内注入生理盐水使宫腔逐渐扩张,以显示子宫内膜和病灶。结果 受检32例均为月经不规则和绝经后阴道流血的就诊患,检查结果仅3例患子宫内膜正常,其余29例均属异常病人,子宫病变检出率为90.6%。结论 宫腔声学造影术对子宫内膜病变的鉴别诊断很有价值。     

Transvaginal sonography in the detection of retained products of conception after first-trimester spontaneous abortion

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the use of transvaginal sonography to detect retained products of conception after first-trimester spontaneous abortion. METHODS: All women who arrived at our hospital with spontaneous first-trimester abortions were included in this study and underwent transvaginal sonography. A sonographic diagnosis of "incomplete abortion" was based on a bilayer endometrial thickness of more than 8 mm. The final diagnosis of complete or incomplete abortion was based on the histopathologic findings at dilatation and curettage. The sensitivity and specificity of both clinical and sonographic examinations for detecting products of conception were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 113 women were recruited, and 14 were excluded for various reasons. Among 52 women with a clinically incomplete abortion, only 50% had retained products of conception. The use of transvaginal sonography resulted in a 29% (15/52) reduction of surgical intervention in these women. On the other hand, 30% (14/47) of women with a clinical diagnosis of complete abortion had retained products of conception. The sensitivity and specificity of cervical status for detecting retained products of conception were 65% and 56%, respectively, whereas the overall sensitivity and specificity of transvaginal sonographic examination (bilayer endometrial thickness 8 mm or less) were 100% and 80%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal sonography is a useful supplement to clinical assessment in women who experience a spontaneous first-trimester abortion. If this modality is used to assess the uterine cavity, the cervical status can be ignored. Use of transvaginal sonography should reduce unnecessary general anesthesia and uterine curettage.