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Gel infusion sonography in the evaluation of the uterine cavity
Author(s) -
Van den Bosch T.,
Betsas G.,
Van Schoubroeck D.,
Daemen A.,
Vandenbroucke V.,
Cornelis A.,
De Moor B.,
Deprest J.,
Timmerman D.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1002/uog.7463
Subject(s) - medicine , hysteroscopy , visual analogue scale , uterine cavity , subgroup analysis , endometrial biopsy , radiology , prospective cohort study , pelvic pain , biopsy , ultrasound , surgery , confidence interval , uterus
Objectives To compare gel infusion sonohysterography (GIS) with saline contrast sonohysterography (SCSH) with regard to technical feasibility and procedure‐related pain experienced by patients. Methods This prospective observational cohort study included 551 consecutive patients with abnormal bleeding: SCSH was attempted in the first 402 women and GIS was attempted in the following 149. All procedures were performed by the same examiner, in the same clinical setting, using a 2‐mm diameter catheter. After contrast sonohysterography, most patients underwent office hysteroscopy ( n = 502) and endometrial sampling ( n = 323). The women were asked to rate the pain experienced during each procedure using a 100‐mm visual analog scale (VAS). Patients' characteristics, ultrasound findings, histological diagnosis, technical failures and procedure‐related pain were compared between the two procedures. Results The mean ± SD VAS score for contrast sonography, subsequent hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy were 22.9 ± 21.7, 38.8 ± 26.6 and 50.0 ± 26.3, respectively, in the SCSH subgroup vs. 16.5 ± 21.5, 27.6 ± 28 and 33.6 ± 30.3, respectively, in the GIS subgroup ( P = 0.0051, P = 0.0005 and P = 0.0003, respectively). The technical failure rate was 5% in the SCSH subgroup vs. 2% in the GIS subgroup ( P = 0.1522). Conclusions GIS and SCSH showed similar technical feasibility. The procedure‐related pain reported by patients during contrast sonohysterography, as well as during subsequent hysteroscopy and endometrial sampling, was less in the GIS group. Copyright © 2009 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.