Abnormal uterine bleeding in adolescents: ultrasound evaluation of uterine volume.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate ultrasonographic measurements of internal genitalia in girls suffering from abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) and to compare the appearances with those of healthy girls. DESIGN Prospective case - control study.

METHODS

One hundred and five not sexually active adolescent girls were enrolled - 67 patients were suffering from AUB and there were 38 healthy peers. The groups did not differ in chronological age, or in postmenarcheal age. All girls underwent assessment of their history, clinical data and transabdominal pelvic ultrasound to evaluate their uterus and ovaries. In order to avoid the impact of endometrium cycle fluctuations, the uterine volume was calculated including and excluding its thickness.

RESULTS

The uterine volume among the girls suffering from AUB was significantly larger than in the control group. The mean uterine volume including endometrium in the study and control groups was 63.2 ± 24.8 and 47.8 ± 17.5 cm, respectively (p=.001), and excluding the endometrium was 34.7 ± 13.1 and 29.1 ± 13.8 cm (p=.043). We did not find any significant difference in ovarian volume between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The girls in the AUB group have significantly larger uterine volume than healthy girls. This finding does not depend on endometrial thickness.