A RANDOMIZED STUDY COMPARING AIR TO ECHOVIST(R) AS A CONTRAST-MEDIUM IN THE ASSESSMENT OF TUBAL PATENCY IN INFERTILE WOMEN USING TRANSVAGINAL SALPINGOSONOGRAPHY

This study was undertaken to compare two different contrast media (air and Echovist(R)) in the assessment of tubal patency using transvagina l salpingosonography (TSSG) in 32 infertile women referred to an infer tility outpatient clinic. Altogether, 59 Fallopian tubes were examined with TSSG. Laparoscopic chromopertubation was used as a reference met hod. In group A (air), concordance was 90%, Cohen's kappa coefficient 0.71 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64-0.77], sensitivity 63%, speci ficity 100%, negative predictive value 88% and positive predictive val ue 100%. In group B (Echovist(R)), the corresponding parameters were a s follows: 93%, 0.71 (CI: 0.67-0.76), 60, 100, 93 and 100% respectivel y. No statistically significant differences were found between these t wo contrast media. Either one can reliably be used for assessing tubal patency with TSSG in infertile women as a primary phase examination m odality.