Ultrasonographic evaluation of the endometrium and correlation with endometrial sampling in postmenopausal patients treated with tamoxifen.
Seventy-two asymptomatic, postmenopausal women treated with tamoxifen for breast cancer were studied prospectively with vaginal ultrasonography, followed by endometrial sampling. Seventy-one patients demonstrated an endometrial echo of more than 5 mm, and one displayed an endometrial echo of less than 5 mm. No patient with an endometrial echo of less than 5 mm displayed any endometrial pathology. Different endometrial pathologic conditions were found when the endometrial echo was over 5 mm. When classifying those patients whose ultrasonic endometrial widths were wider than 5 mm, on the basis of different endometrial histologic findings, no obvious correlation was found between the various pathologic endometrial findings and endometrial thickness. Thus, a "thicker" endometrial sonographic image did not necessarily correlate with pathologic endometrial findings. When ultrasonic endometrial thickness of 5 mm was considered the upper limit of normal, the sensitivity of ultrasonography in correlating to positive histologic findings was 91% and the specificity was 96%. These findings suggest that there is good correlation between endometrial width measured by ultrasonographic assessment and histologic findings.
Cohen
I
I
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sapir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.
Rosen
D J
DJ
Tepper
R
R
Cordoba
M
M
Shapira
Y
Y
Altaras
M M
MM
Yigael
D
D
Beyth
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D013629:Tamoxifen