title: Comparison of transvaginal sonography, saline infusion sonography and hysteroscopy in the evaluation of uterine cavity pathologies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether performing transvaginal sonography (TVS) and saline infusion sonography (SIS) before hysteroscopy could reduce the number of diagnostic hysteroscopies performed for the evaluation of uterine cavity abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and twenty three women with suspected uterine cavity abnormalities were prospectively evaluated by TVS, SIS and hysteroscopy, and had histological evaluation of the endometrium with hysteroscopic biopsy or dilatation and curettage (D&C). One hundred and sixty five patients (74%) were premenopausal and 58 patients (26%) were postmenopausal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive predictive value (PPV) for endometrial polyps was 69% for TVS, 78% for SIS and 81% for hysteroscopy in premenopausal patients. In the postmenopausal group, TVS and SIS could detect only 24% of endometrial polyps, whereas 70% were diagnosed by hysteroscopy. The PPV for submucous fibroids was 47% for TVS, 81% for SIS and 77% for hysteroscopy in the premenopausal group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In premenopausal patients, SIS and hysteroscopy are equally accurate in the diagnosis of endometrial polyps and submucous fibroids. Hysteroscopy is the most accurate test for polypoid lesions in the postmenopausal group. Performing TVS, SIS and D&C could reduce the number of diagnostic hysteroscopies performed for the evaluation of uterine cavity abnormalities by 71.5% in premenopausal patients. However, this rate decreases to 40% in the postmenopausal group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Istanbul University, Turkey. ismal@ttnet.net.tr
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cepni
authors.forename: Pelin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ocal
authors.forename: Sanli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erkan
authors.forename: Funda Salihoglu
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Saricali
authors.forename: Hande
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akbas
authors.forename: Fuat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demirkiran
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Idil
authors.forename: Tugan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bese
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014621:Vagina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D012965:Sodium Chloride