title: The significance of a thickened endometrial echo in asymptomatic postmenopausal patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of a thickened endometrial echo in an asymptomatic, postmenopausal patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was conducted of all women who underwent transvaginal ultrasonography between January 2003 and August 2008, were found to have an endometrial thickness of at least 5mm and were subjected to endometrial sampling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five postmenopausal women, without vaginal bleeding underwent ultrasonographic evaluation with subsequent endometrial sampling. The mean endometrial stripe thickness was 9.7 mm (range: 5.4-22). Four (6.2%) cases of simple/complex hyperplasia were identified and two (3.1%) cases of atypical hyperplasia were diagnosed. Zero (0%) specimens were identified as adenocarcinoma. Twenty-eight (43.1%) polyps and eleven (16.9%) leiomyomata were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of transvaginal sonography as a screening tool in this population is not validated and need not trigger routine evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center, New York, NY 10021, United States.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Worley
authors.forename: Kathleen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: Stephanie N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Post
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017698:Postmenopause; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014621:Vagina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging