Tissue characterization of uterine myometrium using the ultrasound gray-level histogram width.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to clarify the usefulness of the gray-level histogram width for tissue characterization of the uterine myometrium.


METHODS
Thirty-five patients with uterine fibroids, 5 patients with adenomyosis, and 9 patients with extensive myometrial invasion by endometrial carcinoma were studied. The gray-level histogram width was determined by transvaginal ultrasonography. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated for use in tissue characterization.


RESULTS
Significant differences in the gray-level histogram width were found between normal myometrium (54.2% ± 4.2%) and carcinoma (58.2% ± 3.9%), normal myometrium and fibroid (64.3% ± 5.2%), and carcinoma and fibroid. However, it was difficult to identify adenomyosis. The cutoff values to distinguish normal myometrium from carcinoma, normal myometrium from fibroid, and carcinoma from fibroid are 56, 58, and 64, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The gray-level histogram width is useful for tissue characterization of the uterine myometrium.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hakuai Hospital, 1880Ryomitsuyanagi, Yonago, 683-0853, Japan. hakuai@cronos.ocn.ne.jp.
Takashi
T
Ito
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hakuai Hospital, 1880Ryomitsuyanagi, Yonago, 683-0853, Japan.
Koichi
K
Ishihara
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University, Faculty of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.
Imari
I
Deura
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University, Faculty of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.
Chieko
C
Katagiri
Tottori University, Tottori, Japan.
Kazuo
K
Maeda
echodensity; gray-level histogram; myometrium; tissue characterization; ultrasound