Value of sonohysterography in the diagnosis and management of abnormal uterine bleeding.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of sonohysterography in the diagnosis and management of abnormal uterine bleeding.


METHODS
Sonohysterography was performed in 28 women (aged 29-55 years) in whom transvaginal sonography (TVS) suggested an abnormal endometrial echo (n = 14) or fibroids (n = 14). Its effect on diagnosis and treatment was studied.


RESULTS
In the patients with an abnormal endometrial echo, sonohysterography depicted endometrial polyps (n = 9), intracavitary fibroids (n = 3), placental polyp (n = 1), and a normal cavity (n = 1). Hysteroscopic resection resolved the bleeding in 11 of 14 patients; surgery was obviated in one. In the group with fibroids, sonohysterography depicted small submucous fibroids amenable to hysteroscopic myomectomy (n = 5), a small mural fibroid with a normal cavity, which obviated surgical intervention (n = 4), and endometrial polyps, which altered the treatment plan (n = 1). Sonohysterography suggested the need for an abdominal myomectomy (n = 4) and alerted the surgeon to explore the uterine cavity in three patients.


CONCLUSIONS
By helping elucidate the cause of bleeding, sonohysterography assisted in determining the therapeutic approach and often reduced the level of surgical intervention or obviated it altogether.
Lev-Toaff
A S
AS
Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Toaff
M E
ME
Liu
J B
JB
Merton
D A
DA
Goldberg
B B
BB
D000328:Adult; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D011127:Polyps / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014599:Uterus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging