Clinical relevance of diagnostic hysteroscopy with concurrent endometrial biopsy in the accurate assessment of intrauterine alterations.

PURPOSE: The aim of this retrospective observational study was to evaluate the reliability of diagnostic hysteroscopy, routinely performed along with endometrial biopsy, by analyzing and comparing both hysteroscopic and histopathological outcomes in asymptomatic infertile patients, previously to their IVF cycle.

METHODS

The study included 84 consecutive infertile patients who underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy followed by endometrial biopsy. Four-micrometer sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and examined microscopically. The data evaluated the frequency and characteristics of endometrial abnormalities found in the biopsies of patients with normal hysteroscopy outcome. Descriptive data are presented as percentages, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of hysteroscopy for diagnosis of endometrial alterations were calculated on the basis of pathologic reports.

RESULTS

The hysteroscopy evaluation showed 50.0 % of patients with a normal uterine cavity, 40.5 % with endometrial polyps, 6.0 % with endometrial hyperemia, and 3.5 % with other endometrial abnormalities. Among the 42 patients with a normal uterine cavity at hysteroscopic examination, 60.0 % also had a normal biopsy outcome, but in other 40.0 % of patients at least one histopathological abnormal aspect was diagnosed at biopsy. The sensitivity (67.3 %), specificity (80.6 %), PPV (85.4 %) and NPV (59.5 %) of diagnostic hysteroscopy were calculated on the basis of histopathological findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that diagnostic hysteroscopy demonstrated intrauterine alterations in half of infertile patients; histopathological endometrial alterations suggest high rate of false-negative outcomes. Therefore, diagnostic hysteroscopy and concurrent endometrial biopsy should be used as complementary diagnostic and therapeutic approach, especially for patients with previous IVF failures.