THE ROLE OF COLOR DOPPLER IMAGING IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF POLYCYSTIC-OVARY-SYNDROME

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate whether intraovarian and uterin e blood flow variations are associated with clinical, ultrasonographic , and endocrine polycystic ovary syndrome findings. STUDY DESIGN: Thir ty-two hirsute, oligomenorrheic patients and 18 volunteer women underw ent in the early follicular phase ultrasonographic evaluation of ovari an volume, echodensity, and follicle number; transvaginal color Dopple r measurement of the uterine and intraovarian vessel variations; and r adioimmunologic dosage of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating ho rmone, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, androstenedione, and oth er hormonal compartments. RESULTS: In the patients with polycystic ova ry syndrome (increased luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormon e ratio, elevated androstenedione levels, high number of subcapsular f ollicles by ultrasonography-augmented ovarian volume and echodensity) (n = 22) we observed, at Doppler analysis, significantly elevated uter ine artery pulsatility index values associated with a typical low resi stance index of stromal ovary vascularization. The pulsatility index w as positively correlated with the luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimula ting hormone ratio, and the resistance index was negatively correlated . The elevated uterine artery resistance was correlated with androsten edione levels. CONCLUSION: Doppler analysis can be a valuable addition al tool for the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome.