Transvaginal color Doppler study of uterine artery: is there a role in chronic pelvic pain?
OBJECTIVE
To determine the value of transvaginal color Doppler study of uterine artery and investigate the differences in blood flow of uterine artery among women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP).


METHODS
A total of 50 female patients were recruited. The study group consisted of 25 women with CPP of possible gynecological origin. Twenty-five women without CPP made a control group. All women were examined using transvaginal color Doppler ultrasonogram after negative finding of pelvic examination. The mean pulsality index (PI) and resistant index (RI) of the uterine arteries were recorded and compared.


RESULTS
The mean ages were 36.6 ± 10.6 and 32.0 ± 6.7 years in the study group and control group, respectively. The duration of pain ranges from 6-48 months (mean, 14.8). The mean PI and RI values of the uterine arteries in patients with CPP were significantly lower than in the control group; PI = 2.12 ± 0.78, 2.76 ± 0.84 and RI = 0.79 ± 0.19, 0.89 ± 0.05, respectively (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Doppler flow indices demonstrated significant increase of uterine arteries vascularization in CPP women related to pelvic causes. Transvaginal ultrasound with noninvasive Doppler study could be a useful primary investigation for CPP women, especially when financial resource is an issue.
Somprasit
Charintip
C
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand. somcharin@yahoo.com
Tanprasertkul
Chamnan
C
Suwannarurk
Komsun
K
Pongrojpaw
Densak
D
Chanthasenanont
Athita
A
Bhamarapravatana
Kornkarn
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014655:Vascular Resistance; D055815:Young Adult