title: 2D/3D ultrasonography for endometrial evaluation in a cohort of 118 postmenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleedings.
abstract: 2D/3D transvaginal ultrasonography in evaluation of endometrium in postmenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleedings (AUB).
  
  
  
  2D/3D transvaginal ultrasonography (TVU) was performed in 118 menopausal women with AUB. Endometrial volume and thickness, uterine volume and endometrial vascularity were evaluated. Complete histologic evaluation of the endometrium was obtained through dilatation & curettage (D&C) and/or hysteroscopy. Accordingly, patients were divided into 3 groups: controls (no endometrial pathology, n = 49), GI (benign endometrial pathology, n = 37), GII (endometrial carcinoma, n = 32).
  
  
  
  GII had greater thickness and volume of the endometrium, compared to GI and controls. The presence of arterial vascular flow was identified only in GI and GII (51.35% and 93.75%, respectively). Endometrial volume merged together with uterine volume measurements (TVU-3D) showed a strong, statistical significance between GI and GII, allowing differentiation of begin and malignant endometrial pathologies in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  
  In TVU diagnostics of postmenopausal women with AUB the following play the most significant role: 1) endometrial thickness (TVU-2D); 2) endometrial volume (TVU-3D); 3) uterine plus endometrial volume (TVU-3D); 4) vascularization within the endometrium, allowing to differentiate between pathological and normal endometrium (TVU-2/3D). Evaluation of the endometrial vascularity, both in TVU-2D and TVU-3D technique, does not allow for reliable differentiation between benign lesions and endometrial cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute, Rzgowska Str. 281/289 Lodz, Poland. gstach23@interia.pl.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stachowiak
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zając
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pertynska-Marczewska
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stetkiewicz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: endometrial cancer; endometrium; menopause; transvaginal ultrasonography; uterine bleeding