Endometrial survey during phytoestrogens therapy in postmenopausal women

AIM: The aim of this study was to verify the effects on endometrium of short-term phytoestrogens therapy in postmenopausal women. METHODS: This randomized study compared two groups of 50 patients undergone respectively to phytoestrogens therapy or placebo. An endometrial survey was performed on the study groups by ultrasound and hysteroscopy at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: The ultrasonographic findings and the hysteroscopic biopsies in the 47 women submitted to phytoestrogens therapy that completed the follow-up showed an atrophic and/or inactive endometrial mucosa less than in one patients (2.1%) with endometrial thickness and proliferative endometrium bioptical sample after 12 months of treatment; no cases of endometrial hyperplasia were found. CONCLUSION: In the authors' 12 month experience, phytoestrogens therapy in postmenopausal women was safe for endometrial stimulation because did not cause any significant alteration of the mucosa in a short-term administration.     

不孕症合并子宫内膜非典型增生患者助孕治疗的临床分析

目的探讨不孕症合并子宫内膜非典型增生患者经保守治疗后助孕治疗的疗效和安全性。方法回顾性分析8例不孕症合并子宫内膜非典型增生患者，经孕激素或促性腺激素释放激素激动剂（GnRHa）治疗子宫内膜非典型增生缓解后，采用助孕治疗，观察助孕治疗的疗效及其对子宫内膜的影响。结果经孕激素或GnRHa治疗后，8例患者子宫内膜非典型增生全部缓解。共进行单纯促排卵治疗7个周期，促排卵联合人工授精2个周期，体外受精-胚胎移植（IVF—ET）7个周期，冻融胚胎移植2个周期。单纯促排卵周期均未妊娠，人工授精1个周期双胎妊娠；7个IVF—ET周期中，胚胎移植6个周期，3个周期获得临床妊娠；冻融胚胎移植1个周期获得临床妊娠。现足月分娩6活婴。1例未妊娠患者在促排卵后4个月发现子宫内膜癌变。结论不孕症合并子宫内膜非典型增生的患者经孕激素或GnRHa治疗缓解后，及时助孕治疗能提高妊娠率，但需严密观察，注意子宫内膜癌发生的可能。     

Preserving fertility before assisted reproduction in women with endometrial carcinoma: case report and literature review

Fertility-preserving treatment with progestin may be considered in nulliparous women with well-differentiated endometrial carcinoma. Recently, assisted reproductive treatments have been performed to achieve a rapid pregnancy in such cases. This report evaluates a 39-year-old woman who admitted with menorrhagia and primary infertility. Owing to persistent menstrual irregularity and thick endometrium, a diagnostic office hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy was performed and revealed a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Although the woman wished to retain her childbearing potential with conservative management followed by an assisted reproduction cycle, the repeated endometrial biopsies during progestin treatment revealed persistent adenocarcinoma. Complementary surgery was performed due to persistent endometrial malignancy, which noted well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma without myometrial invasion or extrauterine disease. A review of cases with endometrial carcinoma that have been treated with conservative management and a subsequent assisted cycle is also presented here. To date, there are 14 such reports, including 15 women and 21 healthy infants. However, obtaining remission and maintaining the reproductive capability may not always be possible, even in early-stage cases. Therefore, patient and physician should always consider carefully if fertility-preserving management is preferred after diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma.     

Significance of endovaginal ultrasonography in assessing tamoxifen-associated changes of the endometrium. A prospective study

BACKGROUND: A prospective study was conducted investigating the value of endovaginal ultrasound in the assessment of tamoxifen-associated changes of the endometrium in patients with breast cancer. METHODS: Seventy postmenopausal patients with breast cancer treated with anti-estrogens for at least 6 months were entered. Those with bleeding disorders and/or an endometrial thickness of > or =10 mm found on ultrasonography underwent hysteroscopy and dilatation and curettage (D&C) for further histological evaluation. In 22 patients, positive ultrasound findings could be compared with histopathology. RESULTS: 82% of the 22 patients with positive sonographic findings had a glandular-cystic hyperplasia or a glandular-cystic polyp. No adenomatous hyperplasia or endometrial cancer was observed in our series. CONCLUSION: Vaginal ultrasound represents a useful diagnostic tool to detect tamoxifen-associated changes of the endometrium. A threshold of 10 mm endometrial thickness appears suitable to identify endometrial abnormalities while reducing the rate of false-positive findings to an acceptable level. However, the role of vaginal ultrasound in screening for endometrial cancer or premalignant lesions remains uncertain.     

宫腔镜治疗子宫息肉样腺肌瘤22例临床分析

目的探讨子宫息肉样腺肌瘤的宫腔镜表现和治疗。方法2000年10月～2006年2月我院收治的子宫息肉样腺肌瘤患者22例。其中息肉样腺肌瘤18例，非典型性息肉样腺肌瘤4例。全部患者均接受宫腔镜下子宫内膜息肉切除术（TCRP）治疗，术后随访2～42个月。结果22例患者经超声检查和宫腔镜检查均不能将其与子宫内膜息肉或粘膜下肌瘤区分。绝经前妇女占40．91％（9／22）。绝经后妇女占59．09％（13／22）。患者的平均体重指数（BMI）是（26．5±4．10）。绝经后患者的平均卵巢体积为（1．57±2．49）cm^2；绝经前和绝经后患者子宫内膜厚度分别为（0．94±0．66）cm和（0．71±0．72）cm。1例绝经后息肉样腺肌瘤患者宫腔镜治疗后1年。因阴道出血再次行宫腔镜检查，病理检查显示为非典型性息肉样腺肌瘤，同时合并子宫内膜非典型性增生，行子宫全切术。结论息肉样腺肌瘤是一种特殊类型的子宫内膜息肉，在临床和宫腔镜下没有特异性表现，必须由病理确诊；非典型性腺肌瘤可能发生在息肉样腺肌瘤的基础上。     

Diagnostic fibrohysteroscopic evaluation of perimenopausal and postmenopausal uterine bleeding: A comparative study with Belgian and Japanese data

The most appropriate hysteroscope is the smallest that allows one to perform a biopsy. We use a 3.5- or 4.9-mm Olympus flexible hysteroscope with a failure rate below 3% for office or hospital ambulatory procedures without anesthesia or cervical dilatation. In postmenopausal women (with no hormone treatment) with uterine bleeding, we do not perform hysteroscopy if vaginal sonography detects endometrial thickness less than 4 mm. At this cut-off limit the calculated risk for not detecting an endometrial abnormality is 5.5%. In al other patients we prefer fibrohysteroscopy because its diagnostic accuracy is higher than that of vaginal ultrasound, vaginal ultrasound can easily miss a focal lesion of hyperplasia or adenocarcinoma incipiens, and abnormal endometrial findings detected by vaginal ultrasound or sonohysterography require directed biopsy during hysteroscopy. A comparative study evaluated the experience in our two series (286 patients), a Belgian report (251), and a Japanese report (444). Apart from myoma, 50% of findings were atrophic normal endometrium, and concordance was good for detecting adenocarcinoma (±3%). The results suggest using the fibrohysteroscope rather than the rigid scope because of its excellent accuracy.     

子宫内膜息肉对不孕患者的影响

子宫内膜息肉（endometrial polyps,EP）是子宫内膜的局部良性病变,常发生于育龄期女性。观察性研究表明,EP对生育有不利的影响,但EP的发病机制尚不明确。EP的诊断方法通常包括二维阴道超声、三维阴道超声、生理盐水宫腔声学造影（saline infusion sonohysterography,SIS）、子宫输卵管造影（hysterosalpingography,HSG）及宫腔镜检查,宫腔镜联合活组织检查是EP诊断的金标准。在大多数情况下,较小且无症状的息肉可采取期待疗法,然而为了提高自然受孕率或辅助生殖成功率,对于不孕症患者,采取手术切除EP方法仍是首选的治疗方案,而且疗效显著。相关证据表明,在促排卵的过程中,行EP切除术,可提高体外受精（in vitro fertilization,IVF）的成功率。     

Sonographic, hysteroscopic, and histologic evaluation of the endometrium in postmenopausal women with breast cancer receiving tamoxifen

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the estrogenic effects of tamoxifen on the endometrium in postmenopausal women with breast cancer. DESIGN: Consecutive study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: University-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-three women. Interventions. All patients underwent transvaginal sonography (TVS) and color flow Doppler of endometrial vessels, hysteroscopy, and, if necessary, endometrial biopsy or other operative hysteroscopic procedures. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In four women the endometrium was thin on TVS and atrophic at hysteroscopic assessment. In 29 women with thick endometrium on TVS, hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy showed atrophy (11 patients), hyperplasia (5), polyps (11), and well-differentiated adenocarcinoma (2). The two endometrial cancers were present in women with uterine bleeding. In women with positive histologic findings, the endometrium was significantly thicker (p = 0.04) and duration of tamoxifen therapy longer than in those with negative findings, although this was not statistically significant (p = 0.067). CONCLUSION: We believe regular assessment of the endometrium by TVS should be performed in postmenopausal patients at the start of the tamoxifen therapy, and hysteroscopy in women with a thick endometrium or postmenopausal bleeding. We believe that patients with thin endometrium on TVS at the beginning of tamoxifen therapy, who have no abnormal uterine bleeding should be screened with these examinations for 2 years.     

Accuracy of hysteroscopy in predicting histopathology of endometrium in 1500 women

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate the accuracy of hysteroscopy in predicting endometrial histopathology. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Public hospital. PATIENTS: One thousand five hundred women undergoing diagnostic hysteroscopy for suspected endometrial pathology, mostly because of abnormal uterine bleeding. INTERVENTIONS: Hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Hysteroscopy imaging was matched with histology. Functional, dysfunctional, and atrophic endometrium were considered normal findings; endometritis, endometrial polyps, hyperplasia, and carcinomas were considered abnormal. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative (NPV) and positive (PPV) predictive values of hysteroscopy in detecting normal or abnormal endometrium were calculated. These figures were defined to assess hysteroscopic accuracy in estimating pathologic conditions. Histology showed normal endometrium in 927 patients. Endometritis, polyps, hyperplasia, and malignancies were found in 21, 265, 185, and 102 patients, respectively. Hysteroscopy showed sensitivity, specificity, NPV, and PPV of 94.2%, 88.8%, 96.3%, and 83.1%, respectively, in predicting normal or abnormal histopathology of endometrium. Highest accuracy was in diagnosing endometrial polyps, with sensitivity, specificity, NPV, and PPV of 95.3%, 95.4%, 98.9%, and 81.7%, respectively; the worst result was in estimating hyperplasia, with respective figures of 70%, 91.6%, 94.3%, and 60.6%. All failures of hysteroscopic assessment resulted from poor visualization of the uterine cavity or from underestimation or overestimation of irregularly shaped endometrium. CONCLUSION: Hysteroscopy was accurate in distinguishing between normal and abnormal endometrium. Nevertheless, better knowledge of relationship between hysteroscopic imaging and pathophysiologic states of endometrium is necessary to improve its accuracy. Endometrial sampling is recommended in all hysteroscopies showing unevenly shaped and thick endometrial mucosa or an anatomically distorted uterine cavity, and when endouterine visualization is less than optimal.     

Hysteroscopic evaluation of menopausal women with endometrial thickness of 4 mm or more

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic and operative potential of hysteroscopy in postmenopausal patients selected by ultrasound criteria. DESIGN: Cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Outpatient ultrasound and hysteroscopy department of a university-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: One hundred fifty-five postmenopausal women with endometrial thickness of 4 mm or more by ultrasound, in menopause for at least 1 year, with or without menopausal complaints. INTERVENTIONS: Transvaginal ultrasound and office hysteroscopy with eye-directed biopsy specimens using a 5-mm, continuous-flow, operative hysteroscope. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 155 women, 129 (83%) were asymptomatic (irregular bleeding). Hysteroscopy showed endometrial pathology in 28% of asymptomatic patients (23 polyps, 5 cases of hyperplasia, 8 submucous myomata) and 76% of symptomatic women (13 polyps, 6 hyperplasia, 1 submucous myoma). Hysteroscopic results compared with histologic diagnosis showed a positive predictive value equal to 97. 1% and 95% in asymptomatic and symptomatic women, respectively, and a negative predictive value equal to 100% in both groups. CONCLUSION: Office hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy samples has a diagnostic and operative role in postmenopausal patients selected based on endometrial thickness on ultrasound, in view of the high prevalence of endometrial pathology in both symptomatic and asymptomatic women.     

Pretreatment and prospective assessment of endometrium in menopausal women taking tamoxifen for breast cancer

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the pretreatment incidence of endometrial pathology and to prospectively assess the endometrial morbidity emerging during tamoxifen intake for breast cancer. STUDY DESIGN: One-hundred and forty-six menopausal breast cancer patients, candidate to receive tamoxifen underwent endometrial assessment by Transvaginal Ultrasonography (TU) before the start of therapy. A double-layered endometrial stripe measuring more than 4mm indicated hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. Endometrial abnormalities detected before the start of tamoxifen were treated by operative hysteroscopy or by hysterectomy; no therapy and yearly hysteroscopic follow-up was scheduled for patients showing non-atypical hyperplasias. All women were asked to undergo TU on a yearly basis; during the follow-up period, indication for hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy were the following: (i) an endometrial lining measured above 4mm at the first time, (ii) at least a 50% increase of endometrial thickness since the last finding in patients previously assessed by hysteroscopy, (iii) a recorded vaginal bleeding, and (iv) previous findings of endometrial hyperplasia. Histopathologic result from biopsy or hysterectomy was the reference test to establish the baseline prevalence of endometrial pathology and the emerging prevalences of morbidity after 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months of tamoxifen therapy. RESULTS: One-hundred and five patients were followed for 60 months, whereas 113, 126, 137 and 141 patients were evaluated up to 48, 36, 24 and 12 months, respectively. In 44 out of 146 patients, pretreatment TU showed an endometrium thicker than 4mm and in 31 (21.2%) of these patients abnormalities consisting of 16 endometrial polyps, seven polyps harboring simple hyperplasia, four simple hyperplasias, three atypical hyperplasias and one adenocarcinoma were found. During tamoxifen intake benign endometrial abnormalities were detected in 36 out of 114 assessable patients showing normal endometrium before the start of tamoxifen therapy (31.5%) and in seven out of 27 patients with baseline endometrial abnormalities (25.9%). Overall, an endometrial pathology emerged in 30.4% of patients during tamoxifen administration and in no patients we found an atypical lesion. CONCLUSIONS: In menopausal breast cancer patients the incidence of endometrial abnormalities before the start of tamoxifen therapy is high and includes 2.7% of atypical pathology. After the diagnosis and treatment of baseline atypical lesions were accomplished, no atypical endometrial lesion emerged after the start of tamoxifen administration. Based on these findings, we believe that pretreatment assessment of endometrium is recommended in all menopausal women candidate to receive tamoxifen therapy.     

Saline sonohysterography for monitoring asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer patients taking tamoxifen.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of sonohysterography for monitoring asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer patients on long-term tamoxifen therapy. METHODS: Thirty-eight asymptomatic postmenopausal patients receiving tamoxifen for breast cancer were enrolled into the study. The endometrium of study subjects was measured by transvaginal ultrasound. If a distinct echo measured < or = 5 mm, no further procedure was performed. For thickened or inadequately visualized endometrium by transvaginal ultrasound (TVS), sonohysterography was performed. Endometrial biopsies were performed for patients with generalized symmetrical changes on sonohysterography. In cases with focal changes, or inadequate SHG, hysteroscopy/dilatation and curettage (D&C) were performed. RESULTS: Transvaginal ultrasound examination showed 12 (31.6%) patients with thin endometrium < or = 5 mm, 18 (47.4%) cases with thickened endometrium while eight (21%) cases were not adequately visualized by TVS. Sonohysterography was satisfactorily performed in 22 of 26 (84.6%) cases. Of these, three cases showed thin endometrium, 10 patients had endometrial polyps (45.5%) and nine patients showed abnormal endometrial-myometrial junction. Histology revealed hyperplasia in three cases and well differentiated adenocarcinoma associated with one polyp. Endometrial curettage for cases with abnormal endometrial-myometrial junction showed endometrial hyperplasia in two cases. Hysteroscopy and D&C were performed for four (15.4%) patients where SHG was unsuccessful, histopathology revealed inactive endometrium in three cases and one was hyperplastic. CONCLUSIONS: Sonohysterography is superior to unenhanced transvaginal sonography in specifying the abnormal ultrasonographic appearance induced by prolonged tamoxifen therapy, it is easily performed, cost-effective and very well tolerated by the patients with no complications. Sonohysterography is recommended as a minimally invasive diagnostic tool for the assessment of endometrial changes in asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer patients on long-term tamoxifen therapy with thickened endometrium or inadequately visualized endometrial echo on transvaginal sonography.     

Probability analysis for diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia and cancer in postmenopausal bleeding: an approach for a rational diagnostic workup

OBJECTIVE: To develop an analytical approach to estimate the probability of endometrial hyperplasia and cancer in women with postmenopausal bleeding, using a combination of patient history and tests. METHODS: A prospectively collected database of 428 postmenopausal women investigated for abnormal uterine bleeding in an outpatient rapid access clinic was used. The probability of disease was estimated using multivariable logistic regression models considering a combination of age and the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and tests (ultrasound and hysteroscopy) in keeping with the actual clinical process. RESULTS: The prevalence or prior probability of endometrial cancer in the sample studied was 4.4%. Hysteroscopy alone performed better than ultrasound alone. In all patients, a negative hysteroscopy reduced the probability of cancer to 1.3%. In women less than 60 years of age who use HRT, a negative hysteroscopy further reduced this probability to 0.1%. Overall, a positive hysteroscopy raised the probability of cancer to 38.9%. However, in women over 60 years of age not using HRT, a positive hysteroscopy increased this probability to 59.4%. Combining ultrasound results with hysteroscopy did not meaningfully alter the diagnostic probability. CONCLUSION: The combination of information obtained from patient history and tests allows generation of specific disease probabilities in postmenopausal bleeding. This type of multivariable analysis puts diagnostic information gained from history and other tests into a perspective that reflects actual clinical practice.     

Hysteroscopic evaluation of menopausal patients with sonographically atrophic endometrium

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic and operative potential of hysteroscopy in postmenopausal patients selected by ultrasound criteria. DESIGN: Prospective evaluation (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Outpatient ultrasound and hysteroscopy department of a university-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Two hundred twelve women with an endometrial thickness less than 4 mm on ultrasound and in menopause for at least 1 year. INTERVENTIONS: Transvaginal ultrasound and office hysteroscopy, with eye-directed biopsy specimens obtained with a 5-mm, continuous-flow operative hysteroscope, and performed without anesthesia. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Only 13 (6%) patients were symptomatic (irregular bleeding). Hysteroscopic diagnosis of endometrial polyps in three women (23%) was confirmed by histology. In the remaining 199 (94%) asymptomatic patients with atrophic endometrium on ultrasound, hysteroscopy showed an endometrial pathology in 10% (16 polyps, 4 submucous myomas); in one patient histologic evaluation disclosed focal adenocarcinoma in an endometrial polyp. CONCLUSION: Hysteroscopy allows a proper histologic diagnosis, even in asymptomatic postmenopausal women with atrophic endometrium on ultrasound.     

他莫昔芬对乳腺癌患者子宫内膜影响的前瞻性临床病理研究

目的:前瞻性研究他莫昔芬对乳腺癌患者子宫内膜的影响。方法:对2005年1月~2008年10月于温州医学院附属第二医院乳腺外科手术的155例乳腺癌患者进行随访,以阴道B超、宫腔镜及子宫内膜活检评价服用他莫昔芬前后子宫内膜情况。结果:可评价患者共135例,其中绝经前46例,绝经后89例。服用他莫昔芬后,未绝经组36例(78.26%)出现异常阴道流血,9例(19.56%)出现子宫内膜病变,绝经组22例(24.72%)发生异常阴道流血,出现子宫内膜病变29例(32.60%),其中术前绝经组18例(18/59,30.51%),化疗后绝经组11例(11/30,36.67%)。阴道B超对绝经后子宫内膜病变诊断的灵敏度为52.3%,特异度为90.2%,宫腔镜诊断相应的灵敏度为81.8%,特异度为100%。结论:他莫昔芬导致绝经后妇女子宫内膜病变发生增加,对绝经前妇女的影响还不确定。阴道B超可作为初步检测手段,宫腔镜检查可提高诊断的准确率。     

宫腔镜在诊断子宫内膜癌及癌前病变中的价值

目的 探讨宫腔镜检查对子宫内膜癌和子宫内膜癌前病变的诊断价值。方法 回顾分析1994年4月至1999年2月206例具有临床症状伴子宫内膜癌高危因素行宫腔镜检查病列。结果 宫腔镜诊断子宫内膜癌及可疑癌37例（18.0%）,经病理证实为癌者22例（10.7%）,19例进行了手术,术后病理证实宫颈管受侵4例,未受侵15例,与之相比,手术前宫镜诊断符合率为94.7%。术中腹水细胞学检查15例,阴性13例,阳性1例,可疑1例。206例中经病理证实I～Ⅲ级非典型增生12例,而宫腔镜下诊断为可疑癌4例,增生4例,正常或萎缩子宫内膜3例,内膜结核1例。结论 宫腔镜检查直观病灶,准确活检,适用于早期诊断,同时明确病灶部位和范围,提高宫颈管受侵与否的诊断率,但是宫腔镜下难以区别各类型子宫内膜增生性质。     

Postmenopausal endometrial pathologies with tamoxifen treatment: comparison between hysteroscopic and hysterectomy findings.

Histological findings of endometrial specimens collected by hysteroscopy from 261 postmenopausal breast cancer patients with tamoxifen treatment (group I) and from endometrial specimens obtained following hysterectomy from 40 similar patients (group II) were compared. This comparison was performed in order to assess whether endometrial pathologies are more frequently diagnosed in specimens collected by hysterectomy than by those collected during hysteroscopy in such patients. Overall positive endometrial histological findings were significantly more common in group II patients than in group I patients (82.5 and 24.5%, respectively; p < 0.0001). Atrophic endometrium was significantly more common in group I patients than in group II patients (75.5 and 15.0%, respectively; p < 0.0001). All other different endometrial pathologies, except for proliferative endometrium, were significantly more common in group II patients than in group I patients (endometrial hyperplasia = 17.5 and 4.2%, respectively; p < 0.0003; endometrial polyps = 30.0 and 11. 5%, respectively; p < 0.006; endometrial polyps with hyperplasia = 17.5 and 4.2%, respectively; p < 0.0003; endometrial carcinoma = 15. 0 and 0.4%, respectively; p < 0.0001). These findings suggest that in postmenopausal breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen, the frequency of various endometrial histological findings and of overall positive endometrial histological findings were significantly higher in specimens collected by hysterectomy than in specimens obtained by hysteroscopy.     

Transvaginal ultrasonography and hysteroscopy in postmenopausal bleeding: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic value of transvaginal ultrasonography and hysteroscopy in patients with postmenopausal bleeding. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 1, 1998 and June 30, 1999, 88 outpatient women with postmenopausal bleeding were enrolled in a prospective study. They underwent transvaginal ultrasonography and hysteroscopy, and were submitted to directed biopsy during hysteroscopy. Findings were classified as normal endometrium, suggestive of atrophy, focal abnormality (benign or suspicious), and diffuse thickness (benign or suspicious). Data was compared with the final diagnosis, established by histological examination, as atrophy, benign pathology, atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma. RESULTS: Among 88 women enrolled, 15 were excluded because hysteroscopy was impossible, and four had abandoned the study. The histological findings were scanty material in 12 (17.4%), atrophy in 24 (34.8%), cystic atrophy in one (1.4%), normal endometrium in five (7.2%), tuberculous endometritis in one (1.4%), polyps in 12 (17.4%), leiomyoma in one (1.4%), non-atypical hyperplasia in three (4.3%), atypical hyperplasia in one (1.4%) and endometrial carcinoma in nine cases (13.0%). For the assessment of endometrial carcinoma, ultrasonography revealed sensitivity 77.8%, specificity 93.3%, positive predictive value 63.6%, negative predictive value 96.6%; and hysteroscopy revealed sensitivity of 88.9%, specificity 98.3%, positive predictive value 88.9%, negative predictive value 98.3%. The combined use of both methods revealed sensitivity 100%, specificity 91.7%, positive predictive value 64.3%, negative predictive value 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Both imagiological methods were found to be useful screening tests for endometrial carcinoma. Hysteroscopy was a superior diagnostic procedure.     

Office hysteroscopic evaluation of endometrium: can we hit the target?

Objectives The objective was to determine the value of office hysteroscopy in the diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia by comparing the patients who had hysteroscopic diagnosis of hyperplasia with the results of histopathologic examinations, and to try to describe the visual criteria.Material and methods Two hundred and sixteen premenopausal and 114 postmenopausal patients who were admitted to the endoscopic surgery department between January 2000 and March 2001 were enrolled. Visual diagnoses of endometrial hyperplasia with office hysteroscopy were compared with the histopathological results of the endometrial specimen.Results Pathology confirmed 50 of the 70 hysteroscopically-diagnosed hyperplasia patients. The positive predictive value of office hysteroscopy was 71.4% and the negative predictive value was 95.4% in the diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia.Conclusion The accuracy of hysteroscopic evaluation of the uterine cavity is extremely encouraging. Office hysteroscopy, which has a high diagnostic reliability and minimal discomfort, appears to be an ideal method of diagnosis and follow-up of patients with endometrial hyperplasia.     

Postmenopausal bleeding: a diagnostic approach for both private and public sectors

OBJECTIVE: To assess the optimal diagnostic approach to women with postmenopausal bleeding by comparing transvaginal ultrasound and endometrial sampling with office hysteroscopy. METHODS: A prospective collective study was performed on 102 consecutive patients with postmenopausal bleeding who were evaluated by ultrasound measurement of the endometrial thickness (EL), endometrial sampling by Accurette and outpatient hysteroscopy and directed biopsy. RESULTS: Accurette was inadequate for histological diagnosis in 65 of 136 samples and many repeat investigations were required. In all 16 cases of endometrial polyps, ultrasound measurement of the EL was > or =4 mm and hysteroscopy confirmed the findings. Accurette detected only 5 polyps. All 7 cases of endometrial hyperplasia were detected using an EL of > or =4 mm and hysteroscopy confirmed the findings. Accurette failed to detect 5 out of 7 cases of endometrial hyperplasia. Five cases of endometrial cancer were diagnosed: all had an EL > or =4 mm but were inadequately sampled for diagnostic purposes in 3 cases. A definitive diagnosis was made on hysteroscopy in 4 cases (1 patient did not have a hysteroscopy). CONCLUSION: Accurette is not a good sampling device for the diagnosis of postmenopausal bleeding. An ultrasound measurement of the EL > or =4 mm in patients with postmenopausal bleeding warrants further investigation. Outpatient office hysteroscopy is an accurate and sensitive modality to employ as a first line investigation for definitive diagnosis.