title: Radionuclide hysterosalpingography is not a reliable tool for investigation of fallopian tube transport--a controlled randomized study using particles of two sizes during three different parts of the menstrual cycle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Earlier studies with radionuclide hysterosalpingography (RN-HSG) using either small or large particles have shown different results. Some studies have questioned the clinical relevance of RN-HSG. The aim of this study was to evaluate the RN-HSG method using two different sizes of radio-labelled particles during different parts of the menstrual cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten healthy women, 28-40 years of age (mean 34.5), with proven fertility, regular menstrual cycle, not using oral contraceptives and due to undergo laparoscopic sterilization, were randomized to RN-HSG after deposition of a solution with either small Albures or large MAASOL, (99m)Tc-radio-labelled particles into the cervix uteri. Investigations were, for every patient, performed during the follicular, peri-ovulatory and mid-luteal parts of the menstrual cycle. Transport of radioactivity from cervix to uterus and Fallopian tubes was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RN-HSG investigations could not show any difference between the two different sizes of radio-labelled particles. Transport of radioactivity to the Fallopian tube was seen only in some cases and most frequently during the peri-ovulatory period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found the RN-HSG investigations inconclusive. The RN-HSG method does not seem to be a reliable tool for the investigation of Fallopian tube transport.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. kjell.wanggren@kbh.uu.se
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wånggren
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wramsby
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bremmer
authors.forename: Steffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lundberg
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jacobsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001692:Biological Transport; D005186:Fallopian Tube Patency Tests / Q000379:methods; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007047:Hysterosalpingography; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D010316:Particle Size; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013667:Technetium; D014599:Uterus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D013667:Technetium