Radionuclide migration through the genital tract in infertile women with endometriosis.
The migration of radionuclide through the genital tract was observed, comparing 20 patients with endometriosis and infertility with a control group of 23 infertile patients who had a normal pelvis. All patients had patent tubes at laparoscopy and chromopertubation, performed in both groups for the investigation of infertility and to diagnose the presence and extent of endometriosis. A radionuclide tubal test, using human albumin microspheres labelled with 99m-technetium (99mTc) was subsequently undertaken to observe the extent of genital tract migration of radionuclide to uterus, Fallopian tube and peritoneal cavity. The results show that radionuclide migration to the peritoneal cavity was impaired in patients with endometriosis, compared with the control group (30 versus 83%, respectively; P < 0.001). There was no relationship between migration and the severity of endometriosis. We conclude that impaired tubal function may be a cause of infertility in some patients with endometriosis.
McQueen
D
D
Department of Gynaecology, Western Infirmary of Glasgow, UK.
McKillop
J H
JH
Gray
H W
HW
Callaghan
M
M
Monaghan
C
C
Bessent
R G
RG
D000328:Adult; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005186:Fallopian Tube Patency Tests; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008863:Microspheres; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013667:Technetium
D013667:Technetium