Color Doppler ultrasonography assessment of tubal patency: a comparison study with traditional techniques.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the results of color Doppler ultrasonic hysterosalpingography (color US-HSG) and x-ray-HSG with chromoperturbation at the time of laparoscopy.


METHODS
Open, uncontrolled study of women seeking evaluation for infertility from August 1989 to July 1991.


METHODS
Clinical environment.


METHODS
Two hundred thirty-eight infertile women.


METHODS
Saline was administered transcervically during transvaginal color Doppler sonography in 238 women. Traditional x-ray-HSG was performed in 89 women. Laparoscopy with chromoperturbation was done in 121 women. Forty-nine women had all three procedures performed.


METHODS
The frequency of diagnosis of bilateral tubal patency, bilateral tubal occlusion, and unilateral tubal patency after color US-HSG and x-ray-HSG was compared with chromoperturbation. The diagnostic efficacy of color US-HSG and x-ray-HSG was compared with chromoperturbation.


RESULTS
Correlation between color US-HSG and x-ray findings with chromoperturbation occurred in 81% versus 60% (P = 0.0008) of all women studied. In 49 women who had all three procedures performed, color US-HSG results correlated with chromoperturbation more often than x-ray-HSG (82% versus 57%, P = 0.0152).


CONCLUSIONS
Color US-HSG is an alternative technique to x-ray-HSG in diagnosing tubal occlusion as a cause of infertility.
Stern
J
J
Center for Reproduction Transplantation and Immunology, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Peters
A J
AJ
Coulam
C B
CB
D005186:Fallopian Tube Patency Tests; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007047:Hysterosalpingography; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography