Sonohysterography: a technique for endometrial evaluation

Sonohysterography involves the instillation of sterile saline under continuous sonographic visualization to assess the endometrial cavity. The technique is most useful for evaluating women with fertility problems, postmenopausal bleeding, or an abnormal endometrial interface as seen at baseline sonography. The procedure is performed with saline instilled into the endometrial cavity through a 5-F pediatric feeding tube or a hysterosalpingography or insemination catheter. In the normal uterus, the endometrium appears symmetric, surrounding the anechoic, saline-distended endometrial cavity. Adhesions appear as bridging bands of tissue that distort the uterine cavity or as very thin, undulating membranes, best seen at real-time examination. An intracavitary polyp is seen surrounded by anechoic fluid, with the point of attachment and thickness of the stalk clearly demonstrated. The location of leiomyomas can be determined: Intramural lesions do not distort the endometrial cavity, whereas submucosal lesions often do, with the overlying normal layer of endometrium clearly seen. In women with abnormal bleeding, focal areas of asymmetric endometrial thickening can be identified. Sonohysterography allows differentiation of intracavitary, endometrial, and submucosal abnormalities without the use of ionizing radiation or contrast agents.