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Transvaginal Sonography of the Endometrium in South Indian Postmenopausal Women
Author(s) -
Kekre Aru.,
Jose Ruby,
Seshadri Lakshmi
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1997.tb02458.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hysteroscopy , curettage , endometrial cancer , endometrium , gynecology , hysterectomy , carcinoma , menopause , metrorrhagia , radiology , obstetrics , cancer , population , family planning , environmental health , research methodology
EDITORIAL COMMENT: We accepted this paper because it has a simple important message, namely that postmenopausal women with an endometrial thickness ≤4 mm will not have an endometrial cancer; they are likely to have endometrial atrophy. A vaginal ultrasound examination to measure endometrial thickness is a noninvasive investigation. There are about 100 papers on this subject in the world literature at present, and it appears that this investigation will adequately exclude endometrial malignancy in postmenopausal women. This is especially useful in older, unfit or frail women. However, if bleeding is heavy or persists it would still be recommended that hysteroscopy and/or curettage be performed. Summary: Endometrial carcinoma is not commonly seen in India as in the West. Nevertheless, the diagnosis has to be entertained in women presenting with postmenopausal bleeding. The aim of the study was to compare die transvaginal sonographically‐measured endometrial thickness with the histopathological diagnosis in postmenopausal women. Eighty postmenopausal women were studied prospectively. All of them underwent transvaginal sonography followed by eidier an office dilatation and curettage and/or a hysterectomy. Eight women had endometrial carcinoma and their mean endometrial thickness was 12.6±5 mm (mean ± SD). Taking 4 mm endometrial thickness as cut off the sensitivity of transvaginal scan to detect endometrial pathology was 97%, specificity 98%, positive predictive value 97% and negative predictive value 94%. Hence, we conclude that measurement of endometrial thickness by transvaginal scan is a good screening test in postmenopausal women for differentiating endometrial pathology from those who do not have an endometrial lesion.