Comparing of the Results of Transvaginal Ultrasonography with Dilatation and Curettage Findings in Evaluation of Endometrial Cancer in Women with Postmenopausal Bleeding

Background and Objective: Postmenopausal vaginal bleeding (PMB) is a common and important clinical problem. PMB is caused by endometrial cancer in about 10% of patients. Most reports indicate that endometrial atrophy is the most common cause of PMB. Most of them for more evaluation are admitted for dilatation and curettage (D&C). The purpose of this study is to find in which patients, transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) can replace with D&C?Subjects and Methods: From April, 2008, through June, 2009, 98 women with PMB underwent TVS and histopathologic evaluation of the endometrium after D&C or after hysterectomy. Normal appearance at transvaginal sonography was defined as a thin (≤ 5 mm) and diffuse smooth with smoothly marginated and homogeneously echogenic endometrium. However a suspicious appearance was defined as either irregular thickening of the endometrium or an inhomogeneous endoluminal mass or pedunculated endoluminal mass or any endometrial thickness above 5 mm. Results: At histologic examination: of 98 women, 44 (45%) had an atrophic endometrium, 11 (11%) had carcinoma, 10 (10%) had hyperplasia, 28 (29%) had polyps and 5 (5%) were others (ovarian tumor, leiomyosarcoma and multiple or giant leiomyoma) For carcinoma, the sensitivity of TVS was 100 %, specificity was 41.38 %, PPV was 17.4 %, and NPV was 100 % .In addition, the specificity of TVS for atrophic endometrium was 100 %. Conclusion: TVS in patients with PMB is an excellent tool for the determination of whether further investigation with curettage or some form of endometrial biopsy is necessary and sensibly decreases the number of invasive methods. TVS also improves clinical decision- making, and the clinician’s diagnostic certainty.