Polycystic ovary syndrome: a new ultrasonographic and color Doppler pattern

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether patients with partial bilater al polycystic ovaries show different ovarian and uterine blood flow to thos e with complete bilateral polycystic ovaries, and to investigate whether th ere is a correlation between ultrasonographic and hormonal parameters. Fifteen patients with partial polycystic ovaries and eighteen patients with complete bilateral polycystic ovaries underwent clinical, biochemical, gra y-scale and color Doppler ultrasonographic evaluation. Hormonal (luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), LH/ FSH concentration ratio, estradiol, prolactin, androstenedione, testosteron e), clinical (body mass index, Ferriman-Gallwey score), ultrasonographic (o varian volume, number and distribution of subcapsular follicles, stromal sc ore) and Doppler (uterine artery and intraparenchymal vessels pulsatility i ndex, ovarian stromal vascularization) parameters were evaluated, in the ea rly follicular phase (cycle day 3-5) in oligomenorrheic patients, or at ran dom in amenorrheic patients. Significantly higher androstenedione plasma levels and LH/FSH concentration ratios were observed in complete bilateral polycystic ovaries. In partial polycystic ovaries, gray-scale and color Doppler ultrasonography showed dif ferent features in affected and unaffected areas of the ovary, similar to p olycystic and normal ovary appearance respectively. In conclusion, PCOS doer not predetermine a single ultrasonographic or Dopp ler pattern.