COLOR DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN THE EARLIER DIFFERENTIATION OF BENIGN MOLEHYDATIDIFORMS FROM MALIGNANT GESTATIONAL TROPHOBLASTIC DISEASE

Background. To find out the effectiveness of color doppler ultrasonogr aphy of the uterine arteries in the differentiation of benign molehyda tidiforms from malignant gestational trophoblastic disease. Methods. P rospective study was performed in 32 women who were referred to the On cology Department with the diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic dise ase. Uterine artery doppler studies were made and resistance index for both uterine arteries were calculated. In the followup, twelve of the se patients required chemotherapy (first group) and 20 of them were tr eated with only suction curettage (second group). Non parametric Mann Whitney U test was used for the statistical analysis. Results. Median of the lowest uterine artery resistance index were 0.29 for the first group and 0.46 for the second group. Resistance index were significant ly lower in the first group (alpha<0.001). Color doppler study of the uterine arteries is helpful in the differentiation of benign molehydat iforms from malignant gestational trophoblastic disease.