Comparing Two- and Three-dimensional Antral Follicle Count in Patients with Endometriosis

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Medical Imaging
• Gynecology

Background:

• Deep endometriosis and endometrioma can impact ovarian reserve.
• Accurate assessment of ovarian reserve is crucial for fertility treatments.
• Ovarian stimulation (OS) protocols require precise monitoring of ovarian response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound semiautomatic antral follicle count (AFC) with two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound real-time AFC.
• To evaluate the utility of 3D AFC in patients with deep endometriosis undergoing OS.
• To determine if 3D AFC can accurately predict oocyte retrieval in these patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of women with deep endometriosis undergoing OS.
• Comparison of AFC measured by 3D semiautomatic (SonoAVC) and 2D ultrasound.
• Primary outcome: difference between 2D and 3D AFC and number of oocytes retrieved.

Main Results:

• No significant statistical difference found between 2D and 3D AFC methods (P = 0.59).
• Both 2D and 3D AFC showed similar strong correlations with the number of oocytes retrieved (2D: r = 0.83; 3D: r = 0.81).
• The study included 36 women with documented deep endometriosis.

Conclusions:

• Three-dimensional (3D) semiautomatic AFC is a reliable method for assessing ovarian reserve.
• This technique can be effectively used in patients with endometriosis undergoing ovarian stimulation.
• 3D AFC offers a valuable tool for reproductive endocrinologists managing these patients.