title: Effectiveness of sonohysterography in infertile patient work-up: a comparison with transvaginal ultrasonography and hysteroscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this comparative study was to evaluate the accuracy of transvaginal ultrasonography (TVU), sonohysterography (SHG) with sterile saline solution compared to hysteroscopy in the diagnosis of intrauterine pathology in a population of infertile patients before an in vitro fertilization (IVF) program.
  
  
  METHODS
  98 infertile patients with a mean age of 33.9 years (range 27-41) underwent TVU assessment and SHG with sterile saline solution immediately followed by hysteroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical findings obtained by TVU, SHG and hysteroscopy were compared. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of TVU and SHG compared to hysteroscopy were calculated. The TVU sensitivity and specificity compared with hysteroscopy were 91 and 83% respectively. Using TVU, a 9.2% false positive rate (9 cases) and a 5.1% false negative rate (5 cases) were detected compared to hysteroscopy. The TVU PPV and NPV were 85.4 and 90% respectively. SHG yielded better results: sensitivity and specificity when compared to hysteroscopy were 98 and 94% respectively. The SHG PPV and NPV were 95 and 98% respectively. Accuracy of SHG was significantly better than TVU considering all intrauterine pathologies and polyps.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In experienced hands, SHG is an easy, safe, and well-tolerated alternative to diagnostic hysteroscopy in the initial evaluation of uterine cavity infertile patients.
authors.affiliation: Infertility Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. ragni@telemacus.it
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ragni
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diaferia
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vegetti
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arnoldi
authors.forename: Pier Giorgio
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Crosignani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007047:Hysterosalpingography / Q000379:methods*; D015907:Hysteroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014621:Vagina
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride