Endometrial assessment by transabdominal ultrasonography in postmenopausal women.

We evaluated the usefulness of transabdominal ultrasonography (TAS) for endometrial abnormalities in postmenopausal women. A total of 232 postmenopausal women were examined by TAS and endometrial sampling. Abnormal findings, including endometrial hyperplasia, atypical hyperplasia and endometrial cancer, were noted in 0.7% (1/41) of sonographically measured endometrium < 2 mm and in 15.4% (14/91) of measurements > or = 2 mm. Endometrial cancer was found in 5.9% in the postmenopausal bleeding group (n = 85) and in 1.4% in the symptom-free group (n = 147). With one exception, all endometrial abnormalities were in endometrial thickness > or = 2 mm. We conclude that TAS has limitations as a technique but is useful in deciding which postmenopausal women require endometrial biopsy.