The value of sonohysterography combined with cytological analysis of the fluid retrieved from the endometrial cavity in predicting histological diagnosis

Objective The purpose of the study was to assess the efficacy of sonohyster ography combined with cytological analysis of the fluid retrieved,ed from s he endometrial cavity in predicting histological diagnosis. Study design A prospective stony was conducted comparing sonohysterography combined with endometrial washings for cytology with histological evaluatio n after surgical procedures. Of 152 patients referred for sonohysterography 87 were premenopausal and 65 were postmenopausal. Some of the injection fl uid was aspirated for cytological analysis. Sixty-one Patients (40%) underw ent surgical hysteroscopy and eight (5%) han dilatation and curettage as a result of the sonohysterographic findings. Histological diagnoses were comp ared with the sonohysterographic and cytological findings. Results Iii 99 (65%) patients, sonohysterography demonstrated endometrial p olypoid lesions. Only 54 endometrial cavitary lesions were confirmed pathol ogically. Epithelial cells with atypia were more often found in patients wi thout (five of 53) shall in those with (two of 99) an endometrial polyp (p < 0.05). Only one out of nine cases of histological diagnosis of hyperplasi a was predicted cytologically. Conclusions The addition of cytological analysis of the fluid retrieved,ed from the endometrial cavity during sono-hysterography did not contribute to the prediction of benign histological diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia .