Diagnostic Accuracy of Transvaginal Sonography in the Detection of Endometrial Polyps

Abstract

Background: Transvaginal sonography (TVS) is considered a simple and generally accepted method for detecting uterine anomalies. With TVS, the uterus can be clearly visualized, but so far, the diagnostic accuracy of TVS varies across different studies. This retrospective study was devised to evaluate the accuracy of a sonographic diagnosis of endometrial polyps in a Ukrainian hospital. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study of woman who underwent TVS and had hysteroscopy or dilation and curettage for endometrial pathology. A cohort of 156 women were included in this yearlong study. A comparative analysis was based on the preoperative diagnosis, according to TVS, compared with the postoperative histopathology results. Results: The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of TVS in diagnosing endometrial polyps were 69%, 51%, 73%, 46%, and 63%, respectively. Conclusion: This retrospective study provided data on the lack of accuracy for a sonographic diagnosis of endometrial polyps. This was based on 26% of women whose diagnosis was not confirmed by histology. A false-negative result occurred for 54% of women who had polyps that were not detected at the preoperative stage. These data raise the question of the feasibility of further invasive procedures based on a single TVS study.