Computer analysis of ultrasound scans of the endometrium in menopausal women

Ultrasound evaluation of the endometrium in menopausal women undergoing hormone replacement therapy is a classic diagnostic procedure. Subjective evaluation of ultrasound texture and echogenicity of the endometrium is a deceptive method, moreover the repetition of the procedure does not necessarily yield identical results. Due to computer analysis of an ultrasound scan, the investigator's subjective sensation, which might lead to the suspicion of pathology, was replaced with objective computer analysis, which is a comparable method, producing repeatable results. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the analysis was to ascertain whether endometrial diseases are coded in the texture parameters of an ultrasound scan. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Endometrial ultrasound scans of three groups of patients were analyzed. First group included scans of patients suffering from endometrial cancer, second group scans of patients with abnormal uterine bleeding or abnormal endometrium (thickness > 5 mm during continous hormone replacement therapy (hrt), or > 8 mm during sequentional hrt, or abnormal echostructure) and benign endometrial diseases diagnosed by histopatology, third control-group scans of patients during hrt, without any abnormality in ultrasound examinations and bleeding profile. RESULTS: Endometrial diseases are coded in the texture parameters of an ultrasound scan. In particular, on the grounds of these features it is possible to distinguish a scan of carcinoma from benign endometrial diseases and from the scans obtained in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Computer analysis of ultrasound scans of the endometrium in menopausal women shows that the texture parameters code endometrial diseases. The results are promising, albeit provisional and it is required to verify them on the basis of a bigger number of cases with particular attention devoted to the issue repeatability of the results of an ultrasound examination.