title: Effect of gel-instillation sonography on Doppler ultrasound findings in endometrial polyps.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Saline infusion sonohysterography has been reported to suppress the color signal within the endometrium at color or power Doppler evaluation. The aim of this study was to evaluate if gel-instillation sonography (GIS) affects the power Doppler signal in patients with endometrial polyps.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ultrasound volumes of the uterus, obtained by three-dimensional ultrasound imaging of 25 women with histologically confirmed endometrial polyps, were assessed offline by six gynecologists with a special interest in gynecological ultrasound. Each woman contributed four volumes: one gray-scale volume and one power Doppler volume before GIS, and one gray-scale volume and one power Doppler volume at GIS. Power Doppler features before and after gel infusion were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At unenhanced ultrasound a pedicle artery was seen in 27-46% of cases, whereas, after gel infusion the examiners reported a pedicle artery in 30-46% of cases (Exact McNemar's test P-values ranged from 0.50 to 1.00). The level of agreement between unenhanced ultrasound and GIS ranged from 59 to 91% (Cohen's kappa values ranged from 0.17 to 0.79). There was no tendency for a pedicle artery to be identified less often at GIS than before gel instillation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gel infusion does not affect the power Doppler signal in patients with endometrial polyps.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. thierry.van.den.bosch@skynet.be
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Van Den Bosch
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Schoubroeck
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luts
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bignardi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Condous
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valentin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Huffel
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bourne
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Timmerman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005782:Gels