Transvaginal colour Doppler in patients with ovarian endometriomas and pelvic pain
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona 31008, Spain. jlalcazar@unav.es
Background:
The aim of this investigation was to correlate ovarian endometrioma vascularization with the presence of pelvic pain.
Methods:
The presence of blood flow, peak systolic velocity (PSV, cm/s) and lowest pulsatility index (PI), assessed by transvaginal colour Doppler ultrasonography and CA-125 plasma concentrations, were retrospectively analysed in 74 patients who had undergone operations for cystic ovarian endometriosis. Fifty-two patients were asymptomatic (group A) and 22 presented with pelvic pain (group B). There were 56 endometriomas in group A and 26 in group B.
Results:
Blood flow was found in 66.1 and 88.5% of endometriomas in groups A and B respectively (P = 0.036). PI was significantly lower (P = 0.009) and CA-125 concentration higher (P = 0.0004) in group B. There were no differences in PSV.
Conclusions:
We conclude that vascularization of ovarian endometriomas in patients presenting with pelvic pain is higher than in asymptomatic patients. This could be an indicator of endometriosis activity.
