Relationship of ovarian stromal volume to serum androgen concentrations in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

The aim of this study was to investigate of the relationship of ovarian stromal volume, measured using three-dimensional ultrasound, to serum androgen concentrations in patients with polycystic ovaries. Serum gonadotrophin, oestradiol and androgen concentrations and ovarian volume measurements were obtained in the early follicular phase from 100 women undergoing assisted conception treatment cycles. Group 1 contained 50 women with regular menstrual cycles and normal ovarian morphology, group 2 contained 24 women with regular menstrual cycles and polycystic ovaries seen on ultrasound scan and group 3 contained 26 women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Statistical analysis included analysis of variance, Scheffé's procedure and Pearson's correlation. Total ovarian volume (15.7-16.1 versus 11 ml, P < 0.05), stromal volume (14.5 versus 9.4 ml, P < 0.05) and thecal steroid concentrations were significantly greater in groups 2 and 3. Stromal volume was positively correlated with serum androstenedione concentrations (r = 0.45, P = 0.0019 in group 3) but was not correlated with any other endocrine parameter. It was concluded that polycystic ovaries are characterized by increased ovarian stroma with associated overproduction of theca-derived steroids, particularly androstenedione.