title: Power Doppler area in the diagnosis of endometrial cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of power Doppler area (PDA) in the detection of endometrial cancer in women with postmenopausal bleeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective diagnostic study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four consecutive women presenting with postmenopausal bleeding and a total endometrial thickness of more than 4 mm.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PDA was measured by pelvic ultrasound. Endometrial cancer and hyperplasia with complex atypia were considered abnormal.
  
  
  METHODS
  A receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed and area under curve (AUC) calculated as well as positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen women (24%) had abnormal results of their histological specimen. The AUC of the PDA was 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80-0.98). The LR+ and LR- of the PDA were, respectively, 14.5 (95% CI, 4.69-44.9) and 0.23 (95% CI, 0.09-0.55). In women with total endometrial thickness of 4 to 10 mm, the AUC, LR+, and LR- were, respectively, 0.91 (95% CI, 0.78-1.00), 23.9 (95% CI, 3.29-175.0), and 0.34 (95% CI, 0.13-0.86).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PDA is an effective measure in the diagnosis and exclusion of endometrial cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. C.D.de_Kroon@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Cornelis D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: de Kroon
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hiemstra
authors.forename: J Baptist
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Trimbos
authors.forename: Frank Willem
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Jansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017698:Postmenopause; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D015996:Survival Rate; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler