title: Assessment of ovarian vascularization in the polycystic ovary by three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasonography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether there are differences in ovarian echogenicity and vascularization as assessed by three-dimensional power Doppler angiography (3D-PDA) between women with polycystic ovaries (PCO) and women with normal ovaries (NO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-three women were classified into two groups according to the 2003 Rotterdam consensus criteria. The NO group comprised women (n = 45) with regular menstrual cycles and proven fertility, whereas the PCO group comprised women (n = 38) with oligo-anovulation, clinical and/or biochemical features of hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovary morphology at two-dimensional ultrasound. All women were evaluated by means of 3D-PDA. The parameters studied in both groups were follicle number per ovary (FNPO), ovarian volume (OV), mean gray value (MG) and three vascular indices: vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PCO group showed a higher mean OV as well as FNPO. No differences in MG, VI, FI and VFI were found between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3D-PDA indices are not useful for discriminating between normal and polycystic ovaries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproduction, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain. marpas@dexeus.com
authors.forename: Maria Angela
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pascual
authors.forename: Betlem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Graupera
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hereter
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tresserra
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Juan Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alcázar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009929:Organ Size; D010053:Ovary / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D055815:Young Adult