[Ultrasound morphologic evaluation of the postmenopausal endometrium. A prospective study].

OBJECTIVE

The measurement of the endometrial thickness by means of transvaginal sonography has been discussed as a tool for cancer screening. The aim of the study was to evaluate such a sonomorphological characterization of the endometrium performed by physicians in training.

METHODS

A transvaginal sonography was performed in 400 patients before histological examination (dilatation and curettage or hysterectomy). The endometrial thickness measured as double layer and the sonographic patterns were determined.

RESULTS

The endometrial thickness correlated with the histological findings: the median thickness was 6 mm for the normal endometrium and increased to 9 mm for polypiform hyperplasias 9.5 for cervical mucous polyps, and to 14 mm for glandular-cystic hyperplasias and carcinomas (p < 0.001 vs. normal). The sonomorphological grading score was also associated with the histology. For the sonomorphological grading, the sensitivity decreased to 80%, but the specificity increased to 62%.

CONCLUSIONS

The sonomorphological pattern is superior to the sole determination of the endometrial thickness. This method is practicable under routine conditions performed by physicians in training. However, the specificity of both methods is too low to recommend them for cancer screening.