Three-Dimensional Hysterosonography for the Study of Endometrial Tumors: Comparison with Conventional Transvaginal Sonography, Hysterosalpingography, and Hysteroscopy

Abstract

We studied endometrial thickness and homogeneity in 36 patients with postmenopausal bleeding using three-dimensional ultrasound following distention of the uterine cavity with a sterile saline solution (3D-SHSG). Results with 3D-SHSG were compared with findings using transvaginal sonography, transvaginal sonohysterography, transvaginal color Doppler, and hysteroscopy. Sixteen patients (including three on tamoxifen) were undergoing hormone therapy at the time when they were studied. Visualization of the uterine cavity and of endometrial thickness was better with 3D-SHSG than with any of the other ultrasound techniques. The results with 3D-SHSG corresponded to the findings observed with hysteroscopy. Three-dimensional SHSG seems to improve ultrasound determination of myometrial and cervical invasion in cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma.