title: Accuracy of three-dimensional transvaginal ultrasound in uterus volume measurements; comparison with two-dimensional ultrasound.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to document the accuracy of 3-D uterus volume and to compare it with 2-D measurements. Transvaginal ultrasound (US) examinations were performed in 48 consecutive patients before hysterectomy. The examinations were stored digitally on an internal disk drive for subsequent measurements in virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) program. Immediately after the hysterectomy, the true volume was measured in a water bath. A total of 5 patients were excluded due to difficulty of identifying the borders of their uterus; 8 patients were excluded because of too large fibroids or diffuse hypertrophic enlargement of uterus (volume > 220 mL). Although the volumes estimated by the 3-D method were not significantly different (p = 0.126 first measurement, p = 0.561 second measurement), the volumes estimated by the 2-D method were significantly different (p = 0.005 first measurement, p = 0.012 second measurement). The mean error rates of the two 3-D volume measurements by the same observer were 7.4% and 7.9%, and they were 22.2% and 21.0% for the 2-D volume measurements. It may be concluded that the volume of the uterus can be measured more accurately by 3-D US than by 2-D US.
authors.affiliation: General Hospital of Linz, Linz, Austria. cemil.yaman@akh.linz.at
authors.forename: Cemil
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jesacher
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pölz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014599:Uterus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*