title: Transvaginal sonography in postmenopausal women treated with low-dose estrogens locally administered.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of low-dose estrogens, administered locally, in postmenopausal women with symptoms and signs of atrophic vaginitis. Transvaginal ultrasonography was performed for the evaluation of endometrial or ovarian abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six healthy postmenopausal women with symptoms of atrophic vaginitis due to estrogen deficiency were examined with transvaginal ultrasound. The endometrial thickness, the uterus and the ovaries were measured before and after 6 months of treatment with low-dose estrogens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean endometrial thickness, before and after treatment was 3.1 +/- 0.8 mm and 3.1 +/- 1.2 mm respectively. The mean ovarian volume before treatment was 4.5 ml and there was no difference after treatment. There were no changes in uterine thickness during the treatment period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study, using transvaginal ultrasonography, has shown that low-dose estrogens, administered locally, give no sign of endometrial proliferation, measured as endometrial thickness, and do not alter the ovarian volume in postmenopausal volume.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Athens University, Areteion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Botsis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kassanos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antoniou
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vitoratos
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Zourlas
mesh_terms: D001284:Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010053:Ovary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014599:Uterus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014627:Vaginitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens