Are endometrial parameters by three-dimensional ultrasound and power Doppler angiography related to in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer outcome?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether endometrial parameters by three-dimensional ultrasonography and power Doppler angiography (3D US-PDA) can predict in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) outcome.


METHODS
Prospective clinical study.


METHODS
Assisted reproduction unit in a referral hospital.


METHODS
Eighty women who underwent IVF cycles.


METHODS
Endometrial 3D US-PDA evaluated by VOCAL software (plane C and 9 degrees of rotational steps).


METHODS
Endometrial pattern, endometrial thickness (ET), endometrial volume (EV), and PDA indexes of vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI), and vascularization flow index (VFI) were measured on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration. These measurements were related to IVF/ICSI and embryo transfer outcome.


RESULTS
In the pregnant group, EV, VI, FI, and FVI but not triple-line pattern and ET were statistically significantly higher. The area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was statistically significant for EV (0.746), VI (0.724), FI (0.828), and VFI (0.800) when no grade 1 embryos or only one were transferred (43 cycles, 14 pregnancies) but not when two or three grade 1 embryos were transferred. Moreover, these parameters were statistically significant in predicting a normal pregnancy outcome (no early pregnancy loss) but were not related to multiple pregnancies.


CONCLUSIONS
In IVF/ICSI cycles, 3D US-PDA is useful for evaluating endometrial receptivity. Endometrial volume and 3D power Doppler indexes are statistically significant in predicting the cycle outcome when one grade 1 or no grade 1 embryos are transferred, which could be helpful data in a single-embryo transfer policy.
Mercé
Luis T
LT
Assisted Reproduction Unit, International Ruber Hospital, Madrid, Spain. ltmerce@sego.es
Barco
María J
MJ
Bau
Santiago
S
Troyano
Juan
J
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004717:Endometrium / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color