Three-dimensional hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (3D-HyCoSy) as an outpatient procedure to assess infertile women: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to assess the use of three-dimensional hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (3D-HyCoSy) as a routine outpatient procedure for evaluating infertile women.


METHODS
In 25 unselected infertile patients, tubal patency and uterine cavity were investigated by 3D-HyCoSy with saline as a contrast medium. The efficacy of the procedure was evaluated with X-ray hysterosalpingography (XHSG) as reference.


RESULTS
The positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity of predicting tubal patency by 3D-HyCoSy were 100, 33.3, 84.4, and 100%, respectively. The full contour of the uterine cavity was depicted in 96% of cases by 3D-HyCoSy and 64% by XHSG (P < 0.005). The uterine cavity area measured on 3D-HyCoSy correlated well with the volume of contrast medium required on XHSG (r2 = 0.8166).


CONCLUSIONS
3D-HyCoSy provided advantages of better assessment of uterine cavity over XHSG. Compared with conventional XHSG, the efficacy of 3D-HyCoSy to assess tubal patency was acceptable. In addition, the procedure of 3D-HyCoSy appears to be better tolerated, requiring no sedation or anesthesia and a reduced examination time. Thus, 3D-HyCoSy with saline as a contrast medium is feasible and could comprise a routine outpatient procedure in the initial evaluation of infertile women.
Kiyokawa
K
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keiyu Hospital, 3-7 Minatomirai Nishiku, Yokohama, Japan.
Masuda
H
H
Fuyuki
T
T
Koseki
M
M
Uchida
N
N
Fukuda
T
T
Amemiya
K
K
Shouka
K
K
Suzuki
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003287:Contrast Media; D005186:Fallopian Tube Patency Tests; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007047:Hysterosalpingography; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014599:Uterus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D003287:Contrast Media; D012965:Sodium Chloride