Transvaginal power Doppler sonography can discriminate between benign and malignant endometrial conditions in women with postmenopausal bleeding

ObjectiveTo evaluate the role of transvaginal power Doppler sonography in differentiation between benign and malignant endometrial conditions in women with postmenopausal bleeding.SettingOB/GYN Dept., Suzan Mubarak University Hospital and Radiology Dept., Minia University Hospital, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.Study designProspective observational study.PatientsEighty patients with postmenopausal bleeding.Intervention(s)Grey scale transvaginal sonography, power Doppler study of the endometrium and endometrial-myometrial interface, and office hysteroscopy and the final diagnosis by histopathological examination of hysteroscopic guided biopsy.ResultsEndometrial power Doppler signals were positive in 69 out of the eighty patients (86.25%): 8 cases showed multiple vessel pattern -A- (10%); 19 cases with single vessel pattern -B- (23.75%); 42 cases with scattered vessel pattern -C- (52.5%) while in the remaining 11 cases (13.75%), no power Doppler signals were detected. The hysteroscopic findings were endometrial polyp in 16 cases (20%), atrophic endometrium in 14 cases (17.5%), hyperplasic endometrium in 32 cases (40%), submucus fibroid in 6 cases (7.5%), cervical polyp in 3 cases (3.75%) and suspicious endometrium for malignancy in 8 cases (10%). Hysteroscopy was more accurate in cases with intra-cavitary masses (polyps and submucous fibroids) than power Doppler, but power Doppler had a more predictive value for malignant endometrium.ConclusionPower Doppler blood flow mapping of the endometrium in women with postmenopausal bleeding is useful to discriminate carcinoma from other endometrial pathologies.     

109例绝经后出血患者B超、针吸术、分段诊刮及宫腔镜检查四种诊断方法的比较

目的　绝经后出血是一种常见的临床主诉 ,造成绝经后出血的原因可能为子宫内膜癌、内膜息肉、黏膜下肌瘤和炎症等。及时地对绝经后出血的患者进行诊断是很重要的。本研究旨在通过比较阴道B超、针吸、诊刮和宫腔镜检查对绝经后出血的诊断 ,分析其各自的优缺点。方法　本试验取 2 0 0 1年 1月～ 2 0 0 3年 8月在我院就诊的绝经后出血的患者共 1 0 9例 ,每位患者均行阴道超声检查和分段诊刮术 ,其中 31名患者在行分段诊刮前行针吸术 ,74名在诊刮的同时行宫腔镜检查。结果　阴道B超提示子宫内膜厚度≤ 4mm ,无内膜癌和增生性疾病发生。针吸给患者带来的痛苦小 ,对子宫内膜癌的检出率与分段诊刮相似 ,均为 6 6 7%。分段诊刮的病理和宫腔镜下诊断完全一致者占 71 6 2 % ,有近 30 %漏诊。宫腔镜诊断子宫内膜癌的敏感性为 1 0 0 % ,特异性为 85 71 %。分段诊刮和宫腔镜结合对子宫内膜的病变检出率最高。结论　对于绝经后出血的患者 ,可先行阴道B超 ,如超声提示内膜厚度≤ 4mm ,在没有高危因素的情况下 ,可免于分段诊刮 ,但应密切随诊。在子宫内膜厚度 >4mm无高危因素下 ,可行针吸术代替分段诊刮。如阴道B超示有异常回声或存在高危因素 ,则应行分段诊刮和 或宫腔镜检查。     

Hysteroscopy and transvaginal ultrasonography in postmenopausal women with uterine bleeding.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of hysteroscopy and transvaginal ultrasonography (TU), based on a histopathological report from endometrial specimens, in diagnosing endometrial pathology in menopausal women with uterine bleeding. METHODS: Four-hundred and nineteen postmenopausal women with uterine bleeding underwent TU, hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. Hysteroscopic and sonographic findings have been evaluated on the basis of the final diagnosis established by histologic examination. Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of TU at an endometrial thickness cut-off point of 4 and 8 mm (double layer technique) and of panoramic hysteroscopy have been detected. RESULTS: Normal and abnormal endometrium was found in 222 and in 197 women, respectively. TU showed sensitivity of 95.1%, specificity of 54.8% and positive predictive value of 63.7% at a cut-off limit of 4 mm. With a cut-off limit of 8 mm the corresponding figures were 83.8%, 81.3% and 79.4%. Hysteroscopy demonstrated a sensitivity of 96.5%, specificity of 93.6% and positive predictive value of 92.6%. The combination of the two diagnostic tools showed a 100% sensitivity, 94.8% specificity and 93.3% positive predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: With cut-off limit of 4 mm, TU can be considered the first choice modality of endometrial investigation in women with postmenopausal uterine bleeding to select patients at risk to carry endometrial pathology. Hysteroscopy is a more accurate technique than TU because of better specificity and must be indicated for all patients showing an endometrial strip more than 4 mm. When an endometrial thickness below 4 mm is detected by ultrasound, hysteroscopy may be indicated on clinical background because of the possibility to miss infrequent (2.5% in our series), but relevant endometrial pathologies. Endometrial sampling should follow hysteroscopic view in all cases showing abnormal or suspicious lesions as well as in all cases with irregularly shaped endometrial lining and/or suboptimal endoscopic vision.     

Correlation between transvaginal ultrasound measured endometrial thickness and histopathological findings in Afro-Caribbean Jamaican women with postmenopausal bleeding.

Postmenopausal bleeding is traditionally investigated with invasive procedures. Recent studies in white populations have suggested that these procedures can be avoided, as ultrasonographic endometrial thickness of < 5 mm is not associated with malignancy. We performed a prospective study in 75 Jamaican Afro-Caribbean women with postmenopausal bleeding to determine whether an endometrial thickness of < 5 mm excluded endometrial cancer. We also examined the aetiology of postmenopausal bleeding and looked for possible risk factors. Double-layer transvaginal ultrasonographic measurement of the endometrial thickness was followed by hysteroscopy, suction curettage and histopathological confirmation. Correlation between imaging and pathology was not reliable. Half the patients with endometrial cancer had an endometrial thickness of between 3 mm and 4 mm. Seventy per cent of the women with endometrial thickness of greater than 5 mm had benign pathology. Additionally, the following characteristics were found to be more strongly associated with women with endometrial cancer: age over 65 years and 5 or more years since menopause. However parity < 2 appeared not to have a significant effect.     

Clinical value of the measurement of blood flow in uterine arteries and endometrial vessels in women with postmenopausal bleeding using "power" angio Doppler technique

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was the measurement of blood flow in uterine arteries and endometrial vessels in women with postmenopausal bleeding using "power" angio Doppler technique MATERIALS AND METHODS: 256 patients diagnosed and treated because of postmenopausal bleeding participated in this study. Using doppler technique blood flow indices: pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI) and time average maximal velocity were measured. RESULTS: Neovascular arteries in endometrium were found in 87,7% patients with endometrial carcinoma, 21,9% cases of endometrial hyperplasia and in 5,7% women with normal endometrium. A significantly lower PI and RI in endometrial vessels and uterine arteries were obtained in endometrial cancer cases than in patients with endometrial hyperplasia. TAMXV measured in endometrial vessels and uterine arteries was significantly higher in patients with endometrial cancer when compared to the patients with endometrial hyperplasia. CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal ultrasonography with the "power" angio Doppler is a valuable diagnostic method in cases of early endometrial pathologies. The measurement of blood flow indices in endometrial vessels and uterine arteries is useful to differentiate benign and malignant endometrial pathologies.     

Fractional volume of placental vessels in women with diabetes using a novel stereological 3D power Doppler technique

Objectives

In maternal diabetes the placenta is large with abnormal vascular development and increased villous volume. We used a novel stereological 3D power Doppler ultrasound technique to investigate differences in-vivo in the placental fractional volume of power Doppler signal (FrVol-PD) between women with and without diabetes.

Methods

We recruited 17 pregnant women with pre-gestational diabetes and 20 controls, all with anterior placentae. Each subject had ultrasound scans (Voluson 730 Expert) every 4 weeks between 12 and 32 weeks gestation. 3D power Doppler data were acquired and the placenta manually outlined using VOCAL (4D View). Power Doppler signal within the resultant volume was counted in a 3D manner adapting the random but systematic techniques used in stereology.

Results

Subjects were of similar age, BMI and parity. From 16 weeks the mean (SD) placental FrVol-PD was higher in the non-diabetic than in the diabetic group: 16 weeks – 0.125 (0.03) versus 0.108 (0.03), 20 weeks – 0.144 (0.05) versus 0.104 (0.03), 24 weeks – 0.145 (0.05) versus 0.128 (0.03), 28 weeks – 0.159 (0.05) versus 0.133 (0.02) and 32 weeks – 0.154 (0.03) versus 0.123 (0.04). These differences were significant between control and diabetic subjects [F(1,35) = 4.737, p = 0.036] and across gestation [F(3,140) = 8.294, p < 0.001].

Conclusion

Using a novel stereological-based ultrasound technique we have demonstrated the reliability of this application in the placenta. This technique shows promise for non-invasive assessment of placental function: further studies are required to identify if structural changes in a diabetic placenta are accompanied by altered function, manifest as reduced perfusion demonstrable in-vivo.     

The diagnostic value of power Doppler measurements in the endometrium of women with postmenopausal bleeding

OBJECTIVE:The objective was to evaluate the accuracy of blood flow measurements by power Doppler in endometrial vessels in women with postmenopausal bleeding (PMB). METHODS: Sixty consecutive patients with PMB participated in the study. Endometrial thickness and power Doppler measurements of small vessels in the endometrium and subendometrial tissue were performed prior to dilatation and curettage. Correlation between Doppler indices, endometrial thickness (by transvaginal sonography), and histopathologic examination was performed. A Student t test was used for statistical analysis with P < 0.05 as the level of significance. RESULTS: Fourteen positive cases were found: 11 endometrial cancers, 1 sarcoma, 1 simple hyperplasia, and 1 complex hyperplasia with atypia. Measurements of endometrial thickness using a cutoff point of 5 mm revealed a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 45.6% (P > 0.05, NS) for detecting endometrial pathology. Power Doppler measurements (pulsatility index cutoff point = 1.0) revealed a sensitivity of 85. 7% and specificity of 89% (P = 0.001) for detecting endometrial pathology. CONCLUSIONS: The noninvasive methods for endometrial evaluation are not sensitive enough to exclude endometrial pathology. When invasive methods could not be performed, the combination of transvaginal sonography and power Doppler imaging provided the best results. When both modalities are negative, the probability of cancer is less than 5%.     

The diagnostic value of the Doppler ultrasonography in distinguishing the endometrial malignancies in women with postmenopausal bleeding

Purpose  

To investigate the diagnostic value of blood flow measurements in endometrial, myometrial and uterine vasculature by transvaginal Doppler ultrasonography in the differentiation of the neoplastic endometrial pathologies in women with postmenopausal bleeding.     

Accuracy of transvaginal ultrasonography in diabetic or obese women with postmenopausal bleeding

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the accuracy of endometrial thickness measurement in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer in patients with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension and to evaluate whether patient characteristics influence endometrial thickness irrespective of the final diagnosis. METHODS: This was a prospective study of women not using hormone replacement therapy who presented with postmenopausal bleeding at 8 hospitals in The Netherlands. All women underwent transvaginal ultrasonography and, in the event that the endometrial thickness (double layer) was more than 4 mm, subsequent endometrial sampling. The performance of endometrial thickness measurement in the diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia and endometrial cancer was evaluated in subgroups of patients with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity by using receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: Overall, we included 594 consecutive women, of whom 62 (10%) had endometrial carcinoma and 6 (1%) had atypical hyperplasia. In these women, transvaginal ultrasonography had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.87 (standard error [SE] 0.03). In the absence of (pre)malignancy, women with diabetes or obesity were found to have thicker endometria than women without these risk factors, whereas in women with a (pre)malignancy, this difference was not present. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve decreased to 0.74 (SE 0.05) and 0.75 (SE 0.07) in diabetic women and obese women, respectively. The presence or absence of hypertension had no impact on the accuracy of transvaginal ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: In view of the decreased diagnostic accuracy in diabetic women and obese women, the clinical value of transvaginal endometrial thickness measurement in these women is questionable.     

应用宫腔镜与阴道超声波联合检查对绝经后子宫出血中子宫内膜癌的诊断价值

目的 探讨绝经后子宫出血中子宫内膜癌的检出。方法 对绝经后子宫出血的患者８４例行经阴道超声检查（ＴＶＳ）,测量子宫内膜厚度,后行宫腔镜检查,对可疑病变多处活检,并以内膜厚度５ｍｍ为区分点,观察子宫内膜癌的检出情况。结果 ８４例患者子宫内膜厚度大于６ｍｍ中子宫内膜癌１７例,占２０．２％,通过ＴＶＳ检出６例,检出率为７５％。联合检查优于ＴＶＳ及宫腔镜检查,其预测率分别为９４．１％、９７．０％、８８．９％。结论 两种检查互为祢补,优于单一检查,是较准确的诊断子宫内膜癌的一种新方法。     

阴道超声及子宫腔细胞学联合检查绝经后妇女子宫内膜病变

目的 评估阴道超声及宫腔细胞学联合检查绝经后妇女子宫内膜病变的价值。方法 应用阴道超声测量143例绝经后子宫出血患者的子宫内膜厚度,并于当日或次日行宫腔细胞学检查及分段诊断性刮宫（诊刮）术,将内膜测量及宫腔细胞学检查结果与诊刮组织病理结果进行比较。结果 阴道超声检查施行率为100．0％,以5mm为临界值诊断绝经后内膜癌及癌前病变的敏感性为100．0％,假阳性率为56．9％;宫腔细胞学检查的施行率为97．9％,取材满意率为73．6％,特异性为96．3％,假阴性率为2．5％。两者联合应用后的假阳性率为43．2％（P＜0．01）,无一例内膜部中前病变漏诊。结论 阴道超声及宫腔细胞学联合检查,是一种较好的筛查内膜癌及癌前病变的方法,可减少诊刮。     

Three-dimensional endometrial volume and 3-dimensional power Doppler analysis in predicting endometrial carcinoma and hyperplasia

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of endometrial volume measurement and 3-dimensional power Doppler analysis (3D-PDA) in the diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma and endometrial hyperplasia in women with post- and peri-menopausal bleeding. METHODS: 56 women with post-menopausal and 89 with peri-menopausal bleeding were enrolled. All were scheduled for hysteroscopy, dilatation and curettage, endometrial sampling or hysterectomy, and the ultrasound was performed within 24 h before the procedure. Endometrial thickness, endometrial volume, vascularity index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularity flow index (VFI) were measured. These parameters were compared between the group of women with normal histology (including endometrial polyps) and the pathologic group (carcinoma and hyperplasia with or without atypia). RESULTS: Ninety women (62%) had normal histology, 26 (17.9%) had an endometrial polyp, 18 (12.5%) hyperplasia and 11 (7.6%) had endometrial carcinoma. Mean endometrial thickness was 11 mm and 15.5 mm in the normal and pathologic groups respectively (p<0.005). The mean endometrial volume was 6.87 cc and 15.5 cc in the two groups respectively (p<0.001). The VI was 2.27% and 2.95% in the two groups respectively (p=0.022). The FI was 18.6 and 23.6 in the two groups respectively (p=0.014). The VFI was 0.68 and 0.89 in the two groups respectively (p=0.018). Using ROC the area under the curve was 0.698, 0.728, 0.621, 0.631, and 0.625 for endometrial thickness, endometrial volume, VI, FI and VFI respectively. The best predictor of endometrial carcinoma was an endometrial volume of 3.56 cc or more (sensitivity 93.1%, specificity 36.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Endometrial volume and 3D-PDA are good diagnostic tools in predicting endometrial carcinoma and hyperplasia in women with post- and peri-menopausal bleeding.     

3D vocal power Doppler sonography for the estimation of tumor volume and vascularization in stage IB1 cervical cancer

Purpose

To evaluate the tumor’s volume and intratumoral vascularization with 3D vocal power Doppler ultrasound in patients with stage 1B1 cervical cancer.

Methods

This was a prospective study on patients with cervical cancer and stage 1B1 disease, which took place between 2012 and 2015. All women had an initial 2D ultrasound examination for the estimation of the tumor volume. Following this, 3D volumes of the cervix were acquired and were further analyzed using the Virtual Organ Computer Aided Analysis (VOCAL) program. In the selected volume, the vascular pattern (linear or complex vascularization) was also examined. The ultrasonographic findings were compared to the histological ones following surgery.

Results

Twenty-seven patients were included. The average cervical tumor volume measured by the 2D ultrasound and 3D VOCAL-PD were 3.14 and 3.08 cm³, respectively. Both 2D and 3D VOCAL-PD overestimated the tumor staging. Further analysis showed a statistically significant superiority of 2D ultrasound over 3D VOCAL-PD for tumors equal or smaller than 2.5 cm³ with linear vascularity (p?<?0.001), while for tumors of larger volume with complex vascularization, a statistically significant superiority of 3D VOCAL-PD was confirmed (p?<?0.001).

Conclusions

3-D VOCAL-PD is extremely accurate and superior to 2D ultrasound for the estimation of tumor volume and vascularization when it is more than 2.5 cm³ and has a complex vascularization in patients with stage 1B1 cervical cancer.

     

Ultrasonographic endometrial thickness for diagnosing endometrial pathology in women with postmenopausal bleeding: a meta-analysis

Our aim was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of endometrial thickness measurement by pelvic ultrasonography for predicting endometrial carcinoma and disease (hyperplasia and/or carcinoma) during an investigation of postmenopausal bleeding. We performed a systematic quantitative review of the available published literature, which consisted of online searching the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases (1966-2000) coupled with scanning of bibliography of known primary and review articles. The selection of studies, assessment of study quality, and extraction of data were performed in duplicate under masked conditions. Included in the analyses were 57 studies with 9031 patients. Accuracy data were summarized using likelihood ratios for various cut-off levels of abnormal endometrial thickness. The commonest cut-offs were 4 mm (9 studies) and 5 mm (21 studies), measuring both endometrial layers. None of the nine studies using the < or = 4 mm cut-off level were of good quality. Only four studies (out of the 21) used the < or = 5 mm cut-off level, which employed the best-quality criteria. Using the pooled estimates from these four studies only, a positive test result raised the probability of carcinoma from 14.0% (95% CI 13.3-14.7) to 31.3% (95% CI 26.1-36.3), while a negative test reduced it to 2.5% (95% CI 0.9-6.4). In conclusion, ultrasound measurement of endometrial thickness alone, using the best-quality studies cannot be used to accurately rule. However, a negative result at < or = 5 mm cut-off level measuring both endometrial layers in the presence of endometrial pathology rules out endometrial pathology with good certainty.     

Evaluation of endometrial thickness with transvaginal ultrasonography and histopathology in premenopausal women with abnormal vaginal bleeding

Objective  

This study was undertaken to investigate cut-off value of the endometrial thickness by transvaginal ultrasonography (TvUSG), and to detect the accuracy of preoperative Pipelle biopsy in premenopausal women with abnormal vaginal bleeding.     

Endometrial volume as predictor of malignancy in women with postmenopausal bleeding.

OBJECTIVE: To assess endometrial volume as a predictor of endometrial malignancy in women with postmenopausal bleeding. METHODS: Endometrial volume was measured by virtual organ computer-aided analysis in 170 women with postmenopausal bleeding, and histopathologic results of endometrial biopsies were obtained for all. A group of 100 women without postmenopausal bleeding was used for control. RESULTS: There were 90 cases of benign disease, 53 cases of atypia, and 27 cases of endometrial cancers in the study group. Whereas endometrial thickness was 9.61+/-5.12 mm (range, 5-20 mm) and endometrial volume was 3+/-1.1 mL (range, 1.8-5.4 mL) in women with atypia or cancer, they were 4.87+/-3.43 mm (range, 2-8 mm) and 1.52+/-0.82 (range, 0.6-2.2 mL), respectively, in women with benign disease. In the control group, endometrial volume was 1.15+/-0.14 mL (range, 0.6-1.3 mL). Volume was more sensitive than thickness for predicting malignancy, and a cutoff value of 1.35 mL was found to provide the best sensitivity. CONCLUSION: An endometrial volume of 1.35 mL or greater may predict malignancy in women with postmenopausal bleeding.     

Intra- and interobserver agreement on cervical volume and flow indices during pregnancy using transvaginal 3-dimensional ultrasonography and Doppler angiography

OBJECTIVES: To assess intra- and interobserver agreement in cervical volume and flow indices measurements. METHOD: We prospectively examined 126 patients by two seperate observers using transvaginal 3D gray-scale and power Doppler ultrasound. The two acquired volume datasets were analyzed using the VOCAL imaging program for assessing cervical volume, vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI). Reproducibility of volume and vascularity measurement was assessed by calculating intraclass (intra-CC) and interclass (inter-CC) correlation coefficients (ICCs). RESULTS: Both intraobserver and interobserver cervical volume measurements were in perfect agreement with intra-CC values of 0.95, 0.96 for both examiners and with an inter-CC value of 0.95. Intraobserver agreement for VI, FI and VFI measurements were as good as the interobserver agreement for VI, and VFI measurements were adequate but less for FI measurements (inter-CC 0.67). Overall, volumetric data were more reliably acquirable than power Doppler measurements. CONCLUSIONS: 3D ultrasound gray-scale and power Doppler measurement of cervical volume and vascularization have acceptable intra- and interobserver variations and thus may be used in clinical research of cervical physiology and pathophysiology during pregnancy.