Endometrial thickness screening in premenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the role of measuring endometrial thickness by transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) as a screening tool for abnormal uterine bleeding triage in premenopausal women.


METHODS
Between November 2002 and October 2004, endometrial thickness was measured by TVS in 111 premenopausal women with non-cyclic abnormal uterine bleeding before dilatation and curettage.


RESULTS
Of the 111 women, 31 (27.9%) had an abnormal endometrium (hyperplasia 13.5%, polyps 5.4%, submucous myoma 5.4%, and adenocarcinoma 3.6%). An endometrial thickness of 8 mm showed optimal sensitivity and specificity (83.9% and 58.8%, respectively) and 90.4% negative predictive value (NPV) for an abnormal endometrium. When submucous myoma was excluded, the sensitivity, specificity, and NPV were 80%, 53.8%, and 89.6%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Endometrial thickness of 8 mm or less is less likely to be associated with malignant pathologies in premenopausal uterine bleeding.
Getpook
Chatpavit
C
Division of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkhla University, Songkhla, Thailand. chatpavit.g@psu.ac.th
Wattanakumtornkul
Saranya
S
D004107:Dilatation and Curettage; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008796:Metrorrhagia / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017697:Premenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014218:Triage; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis