Transvaginal hysterosalpingo-contrast-sonography (Hy-Co-Sy) compared with conventional tubal diagnostics

Transvaginal hysterosalpingo-contrast-sonography (Hy-Co-Sy) is described as a new method for direct imaging of the tubal passage in tubal diagnostics. During one period of anaesthesia, a transvaginal Hy-Co-Sy was followed by either hysterosalpingography or chromolaparoscopy in 42 patients with sterility disorders. The contrast-enhanced sonography of the tubes was performed in eight cases with sterile saline solution (group 1) and 34 cases with a specially developed ultrasound contrast medium (SH U 454, group 2). The findings obtained by transvaginal Hy-Co-Sy were compared with those of the conventional method. By both methods, there was complete agreement with respect to the same evaluation of tubal passage for both sides, partial agreement when firstly the tubes were assessed as unilaterally or bilaterally open--without precise localization of the side--depending on the appearance of fluid in the pouch of Douglas, or secondly, only one side, when compared, showed agreement. In group 1 complete agreement was found once, partial agreement five times and non-agreement twice, while in group 2 complete agreement was found 22 times (65%), partial agreement 11 times and non-agreement once.