Subendometrial and intraendometrial blood flow during the menstrual cycle in patients with endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
To use power Doppler ultrasound to assess the effect of endometriosis on intraendometrial and subendometrial blood flow during the menstrual cycle.


METHODS
An observational prospective study.


METHODS
Academic teaching hospital.


METHODS
Thirty patients with histologically confirmed ovarian endometrioma and 15 control women.


METHODS
Power Doppler ultrasound examination during the menstrual cycle.


METHODS
Intraendometrial and subendometrial color signals assessed by power Doppler ultrasound.


RESULTS
A statistically significant higher proportion of endometrioma patients presented simultaneous intraendometrial and subendometrial color signals in the late secretory cycle phase compared with controls (40.0% vs. 6.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
The higher endometrial perfusion in patients with ovarian endometrioma that is observed in the late secretory phase of the cycle, close to menstrual shedding, favors the hypothesis that women with endometriosis might have higher endometrial vascular activity, thus facilitating the implantation process of endometrial cells outside the uterus.
Xavier
Pedro
P
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal. cpxavier@sapo.pt
Beires
Jorge
J
Barros
Henrique
H
Martinez-de-Oliveira
José
J
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods