Can vaginal ultrasound replace diagnostic curettage in the detection of endometrial pathology in post-menopausal bleeding?

Media Ghazi Sedeq; Shawnam Nasih Dawood; Aska Farooq; Shahla K. Alalaf

doi:10.15218/zjms.2019.029

Authors

Media Ghazi Sedeq Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.
Shawnam Nasih Dawood Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.
Aska Farooq Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.
Shahla K. Alalaf epartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine , Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2019.029

Keywords:

Transvaginal ultrasound, Postmenopausal bleeding, Endometrial pathology

Abstract

Background and objective: Post-menopausal bleeding due to endometrial abnormalities is a common diagnostic challenge facing the ultrasonogists and referring gynecologists. This study aimed to detect the validity of transvaginal ultrasound to detect endometrial pathologies and its sensitivity and specificity for determining endometrial carcinoma in women with postmenopausal bleeding.

Methods: A diagnostic accuracy study of transvaginal ultrasound and diagnostic curettage was conducted for evaluation of endometrial pathology in the College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University from October2016to January 2018. The sample size included 55 women with post-menopausal vaginal bleeding. The ultrasound findings were compared with histopathological results of endometrial biopsy.

Results: Out of 55 women, 49.09% had endometrial atrophy, 29.09% had endometrial hyperplasia, 16.36% had endometrial polyp, 3.64% had endometrial carcinoma, and 1.82% had hyperplasia with atypia according to histopathological findings. The sensitivity of ultrasound in detecting cancer was 66.7%, the specificity was 100%, the positive predictive value (PV) was 100%, and the negative predictive value was 98.1%. The total agreement rate was 98.2%.

Conclusion: Transvaginal ultrasound is an excellent diagnostic tool to determine whether further investigation with histopathological examination of endometrial biopsy is necessary for postmenopausal vaginal bleeding.

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