Hysterosalpingo contrast sonography as a screening test for tubal patency in infertile women

The most informative method for assessing tubal patency in subfertile women is laparoscopy-and-dye. This investigation, however, puts a large burden on services and a screening test is needed that identifies a high likelihood of occlusion. In our infertility programme we introduced hysterosalpingo contrast sonography for this purpose, operated entirely by ultrasonographers. A series of audits indicated that this innovation speeded the process of investigation by several weeks and reduced the number of laparoscopy-and-dye procedures by 75%. The negative predictive value was 89% and the positive predictive value was 44%. The main limitation of the method was the long period required for training, in those without extensive experience of vaginal ultrasonography.