The diagnostic value of the Doppler ultrasonography in distinguishing the endometrial malignancies in women with postmenopausal bleeding

Value of endometrial thickness and Doppler parameters of uterine artery in predicting endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding: a cross-sectional study in Vietnam

Objective

To determine the value of endometrial thickness (ET) and Doppler indices of uterine artery (UtA) as sonographic markers in predicting endometrial cancer (EC) among postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) women in low-resource settings as Vietnam.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Hue University Hospital and Hue Central Hospital between June 2016 and June 2019. The study enrolled all women who complained of PMB and were followed by transvaginal Doppler ultrasound. Their definitive histopathological examination was the gold standard for comparison.

Results

The UtA Doppler indices, including resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI), and peak systolic velocity (PSV), were significantly lower in the malignant group than in the benign group. The threshold values of the UtA, RI ≤0.73 and PI ≤1.42, were found with an area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.85–0.88, and the sensitivity and specificity were 91.3% and 83.3%, respectively. Unlike PSV, the diagnostic value was the lowest, with an AUC of 0.72. ET was a good predictor for the diagnosis of EC, with an AUC of 0.89. In women with PMB, when using the cutoff value of EC more than 12.5 mm, the sensitivity and specificity were 93.8% and 77.8%, respectively. In addition, the higher the stage of EC, the lower the RI and PI and the greater the EC.

Conclusion

ET, and RI, PI, and PSV of the UtA could help in differentiating malignant from benign endometrial changes. Pulsed ultrasonic Doppler velocimetry seems to play a role in predicting the higher stages of EC. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

The role of transvaginal color doppler indices to predict malignancy in abnormal uterine bleeding according to PALM-COEIN classification

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this study is to analyze the differences in transvaginal color Doppler parameters in premenopasual women with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) among PALM-COEIN groups.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

This cross-sectional study was performed in a training and educational hospital, included 147 premenopausal women with AUB. Patients were divided into four groups according to PALM-COEIN. All subjects were evaluated by transvaginal Doppler sonography and uterine artery (UA) pulsatility and resistive indexes (PI, RI) were calculated then compared.

RESULTS

Four groups named AUB-P, AUB-E, AUB-M and AUB-O included 39, 30, 32 and 46 patients, respectively. The mean age of patients was 44.82 (35-55 years), EC rate was 3.4 %. UA-PI was lower in the AUB-M group compared with AUB-P and AUB-O (p < 0.001). UA-RI was different among gruops (p < 0.001). UA-RI was lowest in the AUB-M, and highest in the AUB-O (0.60 ± 0.15; 0.85 ± 0.05 respectively). The cut-off values of ET, UA-PI and UA-RI for detecting AUB-M were 13.5, 1.55 and 0.71 respectively.

CONCLUSION

Transvaginal color Doppler sonography may be beneficial in detecting the etiology of AUB in premenopausal women.

Role of spiral artery Doppler to screen type 2 endometrial cancer cases

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the value of endometrial blood flow assessment in predicting type 2 endometrial carcinoma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Sixty-five consecutive post-menopoausal women who had vaginal bleeding were enrolled in the study. All subjects were directed to transvaginal sonography to determine endometrial blood flow and underwent endometrial biopsy. Doppler findings were analysed to predict endometrial pathology. Subjects with unsatisfactory Doppler analyses were excluded from the study.

RESULTS

Mean age of the study population was 50.1±6.9 years (42-73). Mean endometrial thickness was 10.1±2.9 mm (4-15 mm) and mean cancer antigen 125 (CA125) level was 20.1±17.4 U/mL (3-92). Histopathological evaluation revealed 14 cases of type 2 endometrial cancer and 18 cases of endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, while the other 33 cases had normal endometrial tissue. CA125 (Area under curve (AUC)=0.853, p=0.000), spiral artery resistance index (AUC=0.905, p=0.000), and spiral artery peak systolic velocity (AUC=0.822, p=0.000) were significant predictors for the type 2 endometrial cancer cases. Endometrial thickness did not significantly predict pathologic cases (p>0.05). Hyperplasia cases were not predicted by any of these diagnostic modalities (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

In patients with postmenopausal bleeding, spiral artery Doppler ultrasound, could play a role in refining the diagnosis of type 2 endometrial carcinoma; however, its predictive value should be evaluated with further studies.