Transvaginal colour Doppler in patients with ovarian endometriomas and pelvic pain

BACKGROUND: The aim of this investigation was to correlate ovarian endometrioma vascularization with the presence of pelvic pain. METHODS: The presence of blood flow, peak systolic velocity (PSV, cm/s) and lowest pulsatility index (PI), assessed by transvaginal colour Doppler ultrasonography and CA-125 plasma concentrations, were retrospectively analysed in 74 patients who had undergone operations for cystic ovarian endometriosis. Fifty-two patients were asymptomatic (group A) and 22 presented with pelvic pain (group B). There were 56 endometriomas in group A and 26 in group B. RESULTS: Blood flow was found in 66.1 and 88.5% of endometriomas in groups A and B respectively (P = 0.036). PI was significantly lower (P = 0.009) and CA-125 concentration higher (P = 0.0004) in group B. There were no differences in PSV. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that vascularization of ovarian endometriomas in patients presenting with pelvic pain is higher than in asymptomatic patients. This could be an indicator of endometriosis activity.