Radiographic morphology of fallopian tubes in women of child-bearing potential: a descriptive study

The aim of this study was to determine the radiographic morphological characteristics of fallopian tubes in women of child-bearing age.

From 2007 to 2008 we retrospectively collected records from women aged 19-45 years undergoing fertility evaluation who had normal salpingograms. Women were excluded if they had abnormal imaging on salpingogram, ultrasound, or hysteroscopy, and if they had any history of pelvic disease or pathology, were febrile, or were taking oral contraceptives at the time of the salpingogram.

We analyzed the salpingograms from 100 women. The interstitial portion of the tube is funnel-shaped. The mean diameter of the proximal tubal opening was 1.07 ± 0.43 mm. The mean length of the interstitial portion was 5.27 ± 4.28 mm, and the mean internal diameters of the middle and distal segments of the interstitial portion were 0.50 ± 0.22 mm and 0.32 ± 0.12 mm, respectively. The narrowest part of the fallopian tube was the distal segment of the interstitial portion, which is significantly different from the internal diameter of the isthmus (0.46 ± 0.28 mm) (P < 0.01).

This study provides detailed data of the normal fallopian tube that may be of value in the development of new contraceptive agents, as well as infertility treatments.