title: Role of 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance hysterosalpingography in the diagnostic work-up of female infertility.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Imaging evaluation plays a crucial role in the diagnostic work-up of female infertility. In recent years, the possibility to evaluate tubal patency using 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance (1.5T MR) has been studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the feasibility of 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance (3.0T MR) hysterosalpingography and its role in the diagnostic work-up of female infertility and to evaluate if this fast "one-stop-shop" imaging approach should be proposed as a first-line examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 116 infertile women were enrolled in this prospective study; all underwent 3.0T MR hysterosalpingography. After standard imaging of the pelvis, tubal patency was assessed by acquiring 3D dynamic time-resolved T1-weighted (T1W) sequences during manual injection of 4-5 mL of contrast solution consisting of gadolinium and normal sterile saline. Images were evaluated by two radiologists with different experience in MR imaging (MRI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The examination was successfully completed in 96.5% of cases, failure rate was 3.5%. Dynamic sequences showed bilateral tubal patency in 64.3%, unilateral tubal patency in 25.9%, and bilateral tubal occlusion in 9.8%. Extratubal abnormalities were found in 69.9% of patients. Comprehensive analysis of morphological and dynamic sequences showed extratubal abnormalities in 43.1% of patients with bilateral tubal patency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3.0T MR hysterosalpingography is a feasible, simple, fast, safe, and well-tolerated examination, which allows evaluation of tubal patency and other pelvic causes of female infertility in a single session, and it may thus represent a "one-stop-shop" solution in female infertility diagnostic work-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy valentinacipolla85@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cipolla
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guerrieri
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Urological Sciences, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pietrangeli
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domiziana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Argirò
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Felice
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007047:Hysterosalpingography; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA
keywords: 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); 3.0T MR hysterosalpingography; Female infertility; tubal patency