Radionuclide hysterosalpingography with radiolabeled spermatozoa.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficiency of radionuclide hysterosalpingography (HSG) by using 99mTc hexamethyl propyleneamine oxime (HMPAO)-labeled human spermatozoa in the assessment of fallopian tube patency in infertile couples.


METHODS
Fifteen infertile female patients were inseminated with their husbands' radiolabeled spermatozoa immediately after cessation of menses.


METHODS
University-based academic hospital.


METHODS
The time course of radioactivity and scintigraphic images of the uterus and the parauterine tissues implying tubal patency were evaluated and compared by using laparoscopy and HSG.


RESULTS
We demonstrated Tmax (time to peak radioactivity at periovarian sites) for right and left tubes to be 6.74 +/- 2.66 and 5.91 +/- 2.93 minutes (means +/- SD), respectively. We also found 72% sensitivity and 75% specificity of spermatozoa labeled radionuclide HSG compared with laparoscopic findings for tubal patency.


CONCLUSIONS
Radionuclide HSG with the husband's spermatozoa seems to be a potentially useful method of assessing patency of the fallopian tubes. The safety dose of this procedure is comparable to conventional HSG. However, more comparative studies are needed to evaluate advantages and disadvantages of this technique.
Ozgür
K
K
Jones Institute for Women's Health, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, USA. KEMAL@JONES1.EVMS.EDU
Yildiz
A
A
Uner
M
M
Erkiliç
M
M
Trak
B
B
Erman
O
O
D000328:Adult; D005184:Fallopian Tube Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007047:Hysterosalpingography / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D010091:Oximes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D013667:Technetium; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014599:Uterus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology
D010091:Oximes; C068296:hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime; D013667:Technetium