The value of sonohysterography in the prediction of endometrial pathologies in asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer tamoxifen-treated patients

Gynecol Oncol. 2004 Sep;94(3):754-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2004.06.033.

Abstract

Background: The study evaluated the efficacy of sonohysterography in identifying endometrial pathologies in asymptomatic postmenopausal tamoxifen (TAM)-treated patients by evaluating its performance characteristics.

Materials and methods: Multiple assessments of sonohysterography evaluations of intrauterine mass diameter were evaluated by logistic regression analysis based on overall 85 patients (who had transvaginal ultrasonographic endometrial thickness of >/=8 mm) followed by hysteroscopy and endometrial histological findings. Performance characteristics were calculated with correlation to the endometrial histological findings.

Results: The mean endometrial thickness was 14.6 +/- 6.2 mm, and the mean intrauterine mass diameter detected by SIS was 11.6 +/- 10.4 mm. There was a gradual decrease in sensitivity and gradual increase in specificity of the SIS studies with the increase in intrauterine mass diameter. False-negative and false-positive of SIS were 2.4% and 8.2%, respectively. ROC curve analysis of intrauterine mass revealed 5 mm as the best accurate cutoff value for the diagnosis of endometrial pathologies, with a sensitivity of 74.1%, specificity of 93.0%, and positive predictive value of 88.3% and negative predictive value of 84.2%. The risk of endometrial pathology was elevated by 1.37-fold, with any additional millimeter of diameter of the intrauterine mass. The mean diameter of the intrauterine mass gradually increased the greater the severity of the histological findings.

Conclusions: Sonohysterography improves the accuracy of diagnosis of intrauterine mass in asymptomatic postmenopausal tamoxifen-treated patients. The size of the intrauterine mass correlates with the severity of the endometrial pathology.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Atrophy / chemically induced
  • Atrophy / diagnostic imaging
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / chemically induced
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Endometrium / diagnostic imaging*
  • Endometrium / drug effects*
  • Endometrium / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hysterosalpingography / methods
  • ROC Curve
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tamoxifen / adverse effects*
  • Tamoxifen / therapeutic use
  • Ultrasonography

Substances

  • Tamoxifen