title: Irregular or absent periods--what can an ultrasound scan tell you?
abstract: Transvaginal ultrasonography has increased our appreciation of the physiological changes in the ovary and endometrium that occur during the normal menstrual cycle. It has become a primary investigative tool in women with irregular or absent periods. Its usefulness in cases of primary amenorrhoea to assess anatomy is also undisputed although it may have limitations in terms of its specificity. However, the interpretation of ultrasound images in women with irregular menses or secondary amenorrhoea is not entirely straightforward. This is particularly true in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition of uncertain aetiology, which may present with oligoamenorrhoea. This chapter aims to discuss the benefits and limitations of ultrasound while taking into account the broad overlap between normal and abnormal physiology, some of which has still to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Early Pregnancy, Gynaecological Ultrasound and Minimal Access Surgery Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St George's Hospital Medical School, London SW17 0AE, UK. akhalid@sghms.ac.uk
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khalid
mesh_terms: D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography